


The Other Side

by piraninjedi



Category: Alice (2009), Supernatural
Genre: Adventure, Alice AU, Angst, M/M, Minor Violence, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-15
Updated: 2012-12-19
Packaged: 2017-11-21 05:08:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 29,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/593792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/piraninjedi/pseuds/piraninjedi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU Based on Alice: Castiel was your average college student, until his boyfriend suggests meeting the family. But things go south and he finds himself in an entirely different world...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Castiel stood in line at the café that was near his home. He preferred to make his own coffee, considering that a cup here cost nearly twice as much. But Balthazar had insisted they meet here; he had said there was something he wanted to talk about.

After ordering two mocha lattes, Castiel made his way over to a booth at the far end of the café. A man with curly blond was already sitting there, a wide smile on his face and light blue eyes shining. As he sat down, he slid one of the drinks to him, "Thanks, Castiel." He said as he wrapped long fingers around the mug before taking a sip.

Castiel merely sat watching, his hands in his lap. "What is it that you wished to talk about, Balthazar?" He implored, voice deep and blue eyes bright.

He was terrible at conversation, always blunt and to the point, except with Sam and his brother. His brother was obvious, as they had grown up together, and Castiel was mostly comfortable around him—Gabriel did like to play pranks often. Sam, he had met a couple years ago when he had just started going to college. They had shared a couple classes and the tall young man had befriended Castiel.

And then his best friend met his brother and the two had hooked up. They were a tight-knit family, and one that Castiel was proud of.

"I'd like to meet your brother," he said, straight to the point. His accent, English, was clear as day. "We've been seeing each other for a while now, and meeting the family is the next step, buddy."

"Is that so?" Castiel tilted his head a bit, glancing into pale blue eyes. He was new to relationships, as he had always been shy and quiet. But Balthazar was his opposite, always pulling him out of his shell and making him do things he'd never thought he would do. Take, for instance, the dance club they had gone to last Saturday. It had turned out disastrously for him; there had been so many people there. But he pretended that it had been a good time. He didn't want to upset Balthazar.

Balthazar grinned, revealing white teeth, but it didn't quite reach him eyes. "Well, Gabriel, Sam and I were planning on having dinner tonight. I suppose it wouldn't be too much trouble if you wished to join us," Castiel said after a moment.

"That's great! I'll see you tonight, then," the confidence in his voice was strong and he leaned over the table, placing a kiss on his lips. Balthazar stood and left after that, leaving a stunned Castiel behind. He didn't even finish the latte. Sometimes he wondered why he was still with him. But then, he already knew the answer to that: who else would love him?

As he finished off his latte, he called Gabriel to let him know that Balthazar would be joining them for dinner.

After class, he swung by the grocery store to pick up a few items that would be needed for dinner. It was only two o'clock and the store was relatively quiet. He picked up some chicken, fresh lettuce, and a few other items before checking out. Sam was a bit of a health nut.

The walk to his shared apartment wasn't far. He and his brother had decided to live in the heart of a college town, as it was easier for Castiel and his ever-changing class schedule. He walked just about everywhere, as he didn't own a car, so their location made sense. Gabriel took a taxi when he needed it, but he worked from home mostly.

When Castiel walked into the apartment, he set the grocery bag on the counter and flipped through the mail. Nothing exciting, just bills. He put the groceries away before moving to the computer to check his email. There were seven new emails since he had checked it last night.

"Any luck?" Gabriel asked from over Castiel's shoulder, munching on a Twix bar. As many times as Castiel had told his brother not to do that, the trickster had only shrugged his shoulders, ignoring his little brother.

"No, they appear to be from other countries. This one is from New Zealand," Castiel murmured, deleting the email.

"Well, if Dad's in New Zealand, maybe I'll start looking for him myself. Could use a vacation," Gabriel chuckled as he wandered into the kitchen. "What's for dinner?"

"Stir-fry, with salad. And a chocolate cake for dessert," Castiel responded grumpily as he closed out of his email.

Their father had been missing for years, and it seemed like Castiel was the only one who cared. He had been just a child when he left. Gabriel had been older, and had taken their father's leaving as a betrayal. But Castiel still held on to some of his childhood naiveté, mostly wanting to know why he would leave his children behind.

"Should I break out the good wine?"

"What for?" Castiel asked as he entered the kitchen to start making dinner.

"Well, obviously this guy is important. Want to show him we're classy, don't we?" Gabriel grinned, opening the wine cabinet.

"I don't know," Castiel responded as he began getting the ingredients for the cake.

"Cassie, this is your first boyfriend, and I want you to lose that V-card you've been carrying around."

Castiel's face turned crimson and he sputtered, "It's not like that!"

"Oh?" Gabriel waggled his eyebrows.

"I just," Castiel sighed and shrugged his shoulders. Gabriel laughed and ruffled his little brother's dark hair, making it look, if possible, even more tussled.

A couple hours later found the dark-haired youth trying to decide between ties. He had pulled on a pair of black slacks and crisp, white button up, with a black suit jacket over that. In his right hand, he held a simple black tie; his left hand held a blue one. "Go with the blue," Sam said from the doorway. "Brings out your eyes."

Castiel nodded, a soft thanks on his lips, as he discarded the black tie. Just as he was finishing the tie, the doorbell rang. "And that would be our guest of honor!" He heard Gabriel sing and from the living room. Sam smiled, shaking his head and exited the bedroom. Castiel followed quickly behind, not wanting to leave Balthazar to Gabriel's devices. His brother could be sneaky at times.

Balthazar was dressed in a pair of charcoal slacks and matching jacket, with a black shirt underneath. "Hello, boys," he said with a wide grin. "You must be Gabriel and Sam."

"That I am," Gabriel said, shaking the man's hand. There was a challenge in the shorter man's amber eyes, one that Balthazar understood quickly. He nodded, expression serious. "We'll let you two be while we check on the food," Gabriel said while dragging the much taller Sam into the kitchen.

Castiel released the breath he had been holding. So far, everything had gone smoothly. "You look great," he said to Balthazar, fairly certain that social etiquette followed these lines.

"Not so bad yourself," Balthazar pulled on his tie, bringing Castiel closer.

"Everything's ready! Come eat," Gabriel called from the kitchen, ruining the moment.

Dinner went smoothly and Gabriel and Sam went to bed, leaving Castiel and Balthazar alone. They sat on the couch, Balthazar sitting with his leg pressed to Castiel's thigh. It was strange, but something was off. He couldn't explain it, despite everything having gone well so far. Just a gut feeling, he supposed.

"Would you like to meet my family?" Balthazar asked, curiously, playing with the shorter man's tie idly.

Castiel shifted so he could see Balthazar's face better. "When?"

"Tonight."

"Tonight?" Castiel's blue eyes widened almost comically.

"Yeah, spur of the moment, you know?" Balthazar said, pulling on the tie and bringing Castiel closer.

"But I thought…" His brows furrowed in confusion. Wasn't meeting family something that was planned? Granted, tonight had sort of been a spur of the moment, but they still had the entire day to get things ready.

"Don't worry, Castiel," Balthazar pressed their foreheads together, looking into deep blue eyes. "And we can be back by Monday morning, so you won't miss any of your classes."

Castiel pulled back a little and looked down at his hands. Balthazar was a handsome man, intelligent and outgoing and seemingly rich. But he was just a shy college student that was almost socially inept. "What if they don't approve of me?"

"Everything's fine, they'll love you, especially when they see this," he pulled out an intricate box from his pocket. Releasing the latch, he pulled out a pendant. It was gold, a strange shaped looking thing, on a black cord. "It's been in my family a long time."

Castiel blinked, staring at the necklace. "Are you giving me this?"

"Here," he beckoned the younger man closer so he could drop the pendant around his neck. But Castiel stood, shaking his head.

"Jewelry means something, doesn't it? This is too fast, I," he didn't know what to say, he was out of his element. Jewelry meant serious dating, which led to marriage and family and kids and…

"Okay, I get it. I'm coming on a bit strong. But maybe after you've met my family," Balthazar started but Castiel stopped him.

"No, Balthazar, I can't do this. I... Maybe we should take it easy? I just need some time."

Balthazar stared at him, face almost blank. He was surprisingly calm, considering that Castiel was breaking up with him. "Goodbye, Balthazar." He nodded and hugged him before rising from the couch and leaving the apartment. Castiel remained on the couch, dumbstruck.

"You just kicked him out?" Gabriel asked, almost aghast, not a minute later. Castiel should have known he would be eavesdropping.

Castiel shrugged out of his suit coat, laying it on the back of the couch. "I didn't know what to do, Gabriel. He was giving me a… a family heirloom! That's serious," Castiel defended, loosening his tie. "I'm not ready for something like that."

"Cassie, listen. If you found someone that makes you happy, you should be with them. Just because you've only been seeing each other for a couple weeks, doesn't mean anything. Love doesn't come along every day, you know."

"I," Castiel started, but something was sticking him in the hip. He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out the box. "The necklace. He slipped it in my pocket," he said with disbelief. It had only been a few minutes since Balthazar left; he could catch up to him and return the necklace.

He stood and left the apartment, leaving Gabriel behind. "Balthazar!" He called when he got to the street. Someone yelled and he started. It sounded like it came from the alley behind their apartment. Following the sound, he found several men in black suits shoving Balthazar into a van.

"Balthazar!" He ran after the van but it was too fast. Stopping, he watched the taillights disappear.

"I'm afraid he's gone." A man stepped from the shadows. He was tall and spoke in a haughty voice, but what stood out the most were his eyes—they were yellow.

"Who are you?" Castiel demanded, taking a step back in fear.

"Just call me a friend of Balthazar's. I'm here to help him," the man grinned.

Castiel frowned, "But he's been kidnapped, why didn't you help him? Who are they?" He motioned to where the van had disappeared.

The man stepped closer to Castiel and he shifted backwards uncomfortably. "Balthazar took something that didn't belong to him. We need it back."

"What are you talking about?"

"The necklace, Castiel."

Castiel's eyes narrowed, "How do you know my name? Where did you take Balthazar?"

"He is safe, do not worry," those yellow eyes were sending shivers down Castiel's spine and he knew he should get out of there. But he couldn't leave Balthazar like that. He was in trouble, despite what this man said.

Castiel turned his chin up, trying his best to look defiant. "Then bring him back, so he can tell me that himself."

"I'm afraid he's got to come back with me. He's a criminal that has to face the charges. Now, give me the necklace!" Yellow-eyes lunged at Castiel, slamming the younger man against the wall. The box fell from his pocket to the ground and both men turned their gazes to it. Before Castiel could blink, the man tossed him to the ground and retrieved the box.

Castiel stumbled after the man. Obviously there was something strange going on and he had to figure out what it was. "Wait!" He called after the man, and after several turns down different alleys, Castiel was lost. A glimpse of movement to his left caught his attention and the man was turning down another alley.

"Stop!" Castiel cried out, following. But the man kept running into a mirror and Castiel tried to stop but the momentum carried him forward and he was tumbling into the mirror. He expected pain but only the strange sensation of falling greeted him.


	2. Chapter 2

Castiel was falling and he felt the world slowing down around him. It was strange, he felt like the Tardis travelling through time and space until he landed with a hard thump on the ground. He lay there for several minutes, trying to catch his breath. When he could finally stand, albeit on wobbly legs, he found himself in a warehouse of sorts.

Pulling the necklace from his pocket, he glanced at it thoughtfully. The gold glittered in the light. He slipped it around his neck and under his shirt for safekeeping. It was obviously important, but he had no idea why he felt the need to slip it out of its container and trick the yellow-eyed man. He had acted solely on instinct.

Glancing around, Castiel spotted the yellow-eyed man at the end of room and darted after him. "Hey!" He called, following the man down a series of hallways until he found himself at a door. Swinging it open, he darted out, only to grab on to the door for support. Not a foot in front of him, the ground disappeared.

He swallowed audibly, taking a large step back until he felt the wall against his back. "What is this place?" Heart pounding in his chest, Castiel looked around, feeling the fear that he was certainly not in Illinois anymore. Everything looked drab and gray, like a mist had settled in the city, permanently. There were hundreds of buildings that towered into the sky, narrow pathways connecting them all. But beneath the pathways, the ground dropped into nothing.

Before he could further investigate the strange city, he spotted the tall man to his right, darting around a corner. Making sure to keep far from the edge of the pathway, Castiel chased after the man again, all the while calling after him. He slowed when he rounded a corner, then took a step back to hide. Peeking around, he watched carefully. Two men were dragging an unconscious Balthazar into a white building. Yellow-eyes soon followed.

Once the four were inside the building, Castiel ran forward. Taking a deep breath, Castiel opened the door and peered inside. It was a hallway, but there were vines growing up the side of the walls. Before he could walk inside, a strange rumbling sound reached his ears. It sounded like a helicopter. He turned, looking for the source of the noise.

But what he spotted was what looked like a blimp. In a grotesque way, it resembled a reptile, possibly a dragon. Castiel pressed back against the wall, holding his breath as the thing passed. He couldn't explain it, but the thing gave him the creeps.

When a patch of sunlight broke through the mist and cast over him, a strange burning sensation hit his arm and he gasped in pain. Clutching his arm to his chest while stepping into the shadows and out of sight of the blimp, Castiel glanced at his arm. Through the thin material of the white shirt, he could see something dark. Rolling up the sleeve, he found black seared into his flesh in the shape of a "Q." He rubbed at it, hoping it would disappear, but the ink remained.

That was the least of his problems, though. He rushed inside the building; he had to find that man. Walking down the hallway, he stepped over vines, hoping that he wouldn't trip. It was rather dark inside, until he came to a fork. The left looked dark as well, but to the right there was a light at the end of the tunnel.

He should have known it was a trap before he stepped inside the room and the white walls began closing in on him. "Let me out!" He wasn't claustrophobic, but the walls were really shrinking. It stopped once it reached the size of a small box, with Castiel hunched over, knees drawn to his chest.

A small slot in the wall, much like a mail slot, slid open and Castiel could see a pair of yellow eyes. "Good, we have you. Take him away!" he yelled to someone else outside the box.

Castiel clambered forward as much as he was able to in the small space. "Hey, let me out of here!" The panic was loud to his own hears, but so was the anger.

The man chuckled and said, "Temper, temper, Castiel."

"What the hell is this place?" He asked, leaning forward against the wall.

"You shouldn't have followed me, little Angel," he said and closed the slot with a resounding bang.

"Come back!" Castiel cried and suddenly the room or box or whatever it was that he was in shook and swayed. The loud rumbling he heard earlier echoed in his ears and he figured he was inside that dragon blimp thing. Light seeped in from the bottom of the crate, as though it were some sort of trap door. He tried prying it open with his hands, sliding his fingers between cracks, but nothing seemed to work. Until his fingers felt a sort of latch. He pushed at it and suddenly floor gave way.

His stomach felt like it was in his throat and the scream caught as he fell, hitting water. It felt like forever that he was underwater, trying to find his way to the surface. When he finally broke the surface, he gasped, lungs breathing in as much oxygen as he could.

When his breathing slowed to normal, he spun around, realizing he was in some kind of lake. The box he had been inside was attached to the blimp, along with several other boxes dangling like bait on a fishing line. It was flying over a forest and away from the strange city.

The city seemed more logical than the forest, so he swam. When he finally reached the city, the water branched into something like aqueducts, running alongside the narrow pathways. Castiel was exhausted and could barely pull himself onto the path. He lay there for several minutes, breathing heavily and feeling like his arms and legs were made of jell-o. He was suddenly grateful that he walked everywhere he went because it kept him in fairly decent shape. Otherwise, he probably wouldn't have made it.

He didn't even notice the dark skinned man with a knife standing above him right away. Castiel jumped to his feet, hands up in defense, "Wait, don't, just hear me out," he gasped, body running solely on adrenaline. But the man looked at him with awe, gazing at the strange tattoo on his forearm.

"You're a fuckin' Angel."

"J-just put the knife away!" Castiel pleaded and the man did so, mumbling words under his breath and starting to flee. He paused when another blimp passed over head. This one also had boxes dangling from it.

"If demons see us together, we'll both be dead!" the man said and moved away.

Castiel called after him, moving to catch up. "Wait, I need help!"

"I ain't helpin' no Angel!" He said gruffly, continuing to walk.

"But, I can pay you! I have some money," Castiel said, digging into his pockets and pulling out a bit of cash from his wallet. The man stopped and glanced at Castiel, seeming to consider.

"What's that?"

"Ten bucks. Look, I'm trying to find my friend, he was kidnapped and brought here. If you help me find him, the money's yours."

"An angel like you?" the man said doubtfully.

"Yeah," Castiel said hopefully, waiting for the man's reaction.

The man took the bill and sniffed it before shoving it into one of the many pockets on his coat. Castiel frowned, tilting his head. This was a very strange place. But he shrugged the thought off, holding out his hand. "I am Castiel."

"Castiel? Like a real angel?" The man suddenly seemed much more interested and he grabbed Castiel's hand, "Come with me!"

The man led Castiel around the city, and he felt almost dizzy with all of the twists and turns they took, until they stopped in an alley. He pulled the sleeve on Castiel's arm down, hiding the Q shaped mark. "They see that, Angel, you're dead."

"Who's they?" Castiel demanded but the man ignored him.

He nodded towards the building at the end of the alley way before instructing, "I go in, you count ten, then follow, got it?" The man didn't wait for a reply and ran forward, towards a building.

"But what's there?" Castiel shouted, almost desperate.

"The man who knows!" the man exclaimed and disappeared inside.

Castiel stared after him, noticing a flashing sign above the doors. The words read "The Roadhouse." Frustrated, Castiel followed slowly and entered the building. Inside was a sort of bar, loud and noisy. There were several dozen people inside, all chatting loudly. A marquee scrolled on the wall behind the bar, words like Happiness and Serenity scrolling across it.

A man stood behind the bar, taking orders. He had a mullet that, under any other circumstance, Castiel would have thought silly. But right now he was just trying to find the dark skinned guy. As he walked through the crowd, Castiel noted that behind the bar was not alcohol, but something altogether different. Clear bottles with brightly colored fluid sat on the shelves. Labels on them read Lust, Passion, Desire.

Two women sitting at a table were haggling over Excitement and Hope. "Sorry, no can do," said the woman with Hope. Castiel blinked and continued onward when he spotted the dark skinned guy motioning for him. Before he could get much farther, a sudden hush overcame the crowd. A woman stood on the bar and cleared her throat.

She spoke in a strong voice, "You ever get that guilty feeling? Huh? Abandoned the family and left them without a crumb? Or maybe you killed someone? And it's left that niggling feeling in the pit of your stomach and it's growing into a dull, throbbing pain? Growing stronger every day, until you think you might go crazy?" She paused, letting the words sink in, before finishing in a cheerful tone, "Well, I give you Clear Conscience!"

People shouted their approval, surging forward in hopes to purchase the liquid. Castiel took that chance to leave. "This way," the man motioned once Castiel reached him. He was led to a back room rather forcibly, where the ground turned to dirt and flowers, as though he were stepping into a garden. At the center of the room was a desk, bookshelves lining the walls. A man sat with his back to them as Castiel was led forward.

"Care for a drink?" The man asked, voice slightly deep and masculine, yet light somehow. But he remained sitting for the moment.

"No, thank you," Castiel said, "Who are you?"

At that, the man turned around in the swivel chair and Castiel had to fight the gasp. The man was beautiful, deep green eyes gazing over him critically, a hint of freckles over a strong nose and full lips. The man had short, light brown almost blond hair and tanned skin. Castiel had never really felt desire like this, not even with Balthazar. But this man and his voice and his eyes…

And speaking of those eyes, they gazed over him, and the look in them reminded Castiel of Balthazar, when he looked at him sometimes. Castiel shivered, this time not from the cold or fear.

"I'm Dean," the man said after moment, the expression gone. "I help run The Roadhouse."

Before Castiel could speak, the dark man took his arm, lifting up the sleeve to reveal the tattoo. "See?" He said as Castiel tugged his arm away and rubbing the spot.

The green-eyed man, Dean, stood, walking behind his desk with his back to the other two. "How did you break out of the Dragon?"

"The blimp?" Castiel questioned, head tilted in confusion. Dean turned to face him and nodded. "I just, I found a latch and—"

"Fell," he supplied.

"Into a lake. I'm soaked." The man smiled and nodded, once again raking his eyes over Castiel's form. Castiel knew the white shirt was clinging to his skin and probably see-through. But he tried not to think about that as he continued. "What is this place?"

"Oh, Purgatory," was his answer, tone light, almost cheerful, but completely serious.

Castiel blinked slowly, brows furrowing. "That's just a myth." Despite being raised by a religious father, point taken in his and his brother's name, he had never really believed Heaven and Hell, and least of all, Purgatory. This place was like a twisted Wonderland, falling through a mirror and into another world, but that was even more farfetched.

"Does this look like a myth to you?" Castiel shook his head. "It's changed though," the taller man said as he approached Castiel.

"So it's real?" He was doubtful, but right now he had nothing else to go on. It felt like a dream, but at the same time, he knew he was awake. His body ached in exhaustion that wouldn't be felt in a dream.

"You Angels don't know how to find us," Dean said, taking Castiel's arm and inspecting the mark. His hand was warm and calloused against Castiel's arm, sending a pleasant feeling through him where they touched. "You tell yourself that we don't exist, and to be honest, I'd like to keep it that way."

"Why am I an Angel? Because of this?" Castiel indicated the tattoo.

Dean made a noncommittal shrug, "That's the brand that Angels receive when they step into our world. And they call you Angels because of the Grace that you carry inside you."

"He's Castiel," the other man interrupted. He turned to Castiel and nodded, "Tell him."

"Is that so?" Dean sounded impressed, though Castiel couldn't tell if it was sarcasm or not. He had never been good with things like that. But when the man barked out a laugh, Castiel supposed that it was sarcasm. "Gordon here thinks you're the Angel of Legend," the man said as he slung an arm over the older man's shoulders.

"Who?" Castiel asked, brows furrowing as he stared intently at the green eyed man.

"A prophecy was made about an Angel of Legend, one that will smite Lucifer and return Purgatory to its glory days, but Gordon, it can't this guy," the man said, turning to Gordon. "He's just a regular ol' Angel."

"Well, I still want a good price for him," Gordon said in a firm voice, lifting his chin defiantly at Dean.

"Price?" Castiel stuttered, "I'm not for sale!" But the man merely held a finger up to silence Castiel. Gordon and Dean exchanged looks and the man moved behind his desk, pulling out a few bottles. He settled on a bright red liquid before returning to Gordon.

"Twenty Angels were drained of their Grace so you taste how it feels to win, just once. That excitement, that glory. Don't take it on an empty stomach, and only a drop at a time, otherwise you could die. Got it?"

Gordon agreed and took off with the strange liquid, leaving Castiel alone with the green eyed man.

"What do you mean, Angels were drained?" Castiel questioned.

Dean decided to ignore that question, "Gordon tells me you're looking for someone."

Castiel nodded slowly, not missing the fact that the subject was changed, "Yes, my friend, his name is Balthazar Roché. He was taken by a man with yellow eyes."

"Shit," Dean responded grimly, recognition lighting his eyes. "His name's Azazel. He belongs to an organization known as the Demons. They travel to your world through the Gate, bringing people from your world to ours."

Castiel frowned, "Why?"

"To use, in the casino."

"What do you mean?" He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Because whatever was being done to these… Angels… He was certain that Balthazar had been taken for the same reason.

"Oh, don't worry about it. They're fine, alive. Mostly happy."

The man seemed to be hiding something, but Castiel left it at that. That was the least of his concerns. He needed to find Balthazar, get them back home, and return the amulet. "How do I get there?"

"You don't. It's dangerous," Dean said, then smiled as he approached Castiel. "But, lucky for you, I know some people. Who know some other people, if you know what I mean," the man was merely inches from Castiel and he could feel his body tensing. What was it about this man that made him feel this way? The man smiled, little creases forming around his eyes, "Lighten up, you look like you wanna murder someone."

He moved away from Castiel and the Angel let out the breath he had been holding. A moment later, the man returned, with a tan overcoat. "You should wear this, keep you from catching a cold."

"I can't pay you," the shorter man said quietly, but Dean shrugged and held it out for Castiel, who stared at it with uncertainty. "Why would you help me?"

Dean moved behind Castiel, and he could feel the other man's breath on his neck. He tensed, not sure if he wanted to move away or lean into the man, shutting his eyes tightly, fists clenching. "Do I need a reason to help a pretty guy in a white, wet shirt?"

Castiel spun around, bewildered blue eyes finding the other man's, who merely laughed and handed over the coat. As Castiel slipped on the tan overcoat, Dean moved towards a door at the back of his office, "Try to keep up, yeah?"


	3. Chapter 3

Azazel sat in a chair, waiting. He was eager to give the good news to Lucifer. Turning the box in his hand, he gazed at it with a grin. He would surely be promoted for this success.

"You're late," a fellow Demon commented, crossing her arms over her chest. She had blonde hair that fell past her shoulders and dark eyes.

"Such a pleasure to see you again, Lilith," Azazel said as he stood. Lilith scoffed and walked away. He chuckled as he followed her through the casino. Employees were scattered throughout, dancing seductively while Angels watched, in a daze. Other workers dealt cards, where the Angels won every round they played. All of the Angels were barefoot and glued to the spot, and once a certain emotion was reached, their Grace was pulled through the floor.

The Grace flowed through tubes, down several floors and into the basement of the casino, leading into a laboratory where it was collected in different bins, each of them with a label. There was Passion, Lust, Excitement, and countless more. A man maneuvered around the bins, a Demon following his every move.

"We need to move on," he mumbled, scratching his beard thoughtfully. "To see how joy and awe and lust can all be turned to pills. It's the latest trend, I've heard. No one wants liquid anymore."

He stopped at a testing station, where a bright orange liquid dripped into a beaker, labeled Passion. Reaching for the beaker, the man grabbed a pipette and filled it with a drop before tasting the liquid. "Mmm, this will work nicely."

At that moment, another Demon entered the lab, stopping to stand in front of the scientist and his assistant. "Lucifer wants to see you, Chuck."

Chuck found Lucifer in the meeting room, leaning over a table and pouring through papers. Several other Demons sat along the table, watching with interest. "The Dragon just brought in the last shipment of Angels," he said, standing straight. He was a taller man, with blond hair and blue eyes, a bit of stubble on his chin.

"How many?" Chuck asked meekly, wringing his hands.

"Twenty. Make the most of them," Lucifer commanded in a firm tone. "We won't be getting any more until we find that amulet and restart the Gate. There was just enough just enough juice left in it for the last trip." He paced the room before pausing and turning to face the scientist, "Oh, and I want you to harvest more of the unusual emotions."

Chuck blanched. "It-It's difficult enough to get simple emotions, my lord. You know it takes a hundred thrills to make just the tiniest drop," Chuck tried but Lucifer ignored his comments.

"People want to experience the more exotic wonders. Surprise, adoration, ecstasy, calm. Keeping the masses happy is a very great responsibility, Chuck," Lucifer informed calmly. He sighed as he continued, "It is one that weighs heavy on my shoulders. If our people don't feel what they want, when they want to feel it, well the whole system breaks down." Lucifer sighed again, moving around the room and gazing into the eyes of every Demon in the room.

"Instant gratification is a very complex business. That's why we have to keep moving forward, Chuck."

Before Lucifer could continue, the doors swung open, revealing Lilith, closely followed by Azazel. Lucifer grinned and moved towards the tall man. "There you are! How magnificent!" he exclaimed when Azazel presented the box that held the amulet.

Lucifer took the box and released the latch on the side, popping the lid open. However, it was empty inside. With a frown, he commented, "Why am I not surprised?" He asked Azazel, who looked at the empty box with horror.

"The boy," he gasped, yellow eyes widening.

"What boy?" Lucifer demanded and Azazel shrank back in fear.

"I took the box from a boy, an Angel. He must have the amulet."

Eyes narrowing, Lucifer demanded, "Where is he now?"

"He escaped," Azazel whispered, voice cracking.

Lucifer's patience was waning. "What exactly do you mean, escaped?"

"Some of the containers are getting old…"

The Lord cut him off, angrily. "So an Angel is running around Purgatory with my amulet?"

"We'll find him," Azazel assured.

"Oh, we'll find him all right. But you, Azazel, will take no further part." Lucifer motioned for a pair of guards, who escorted Azazel out of the meeting room. His screams could still be heard as he was carried away, begging for his life.

Lilith stepped forward, "I'll alert all of the guards."

"No, that will only alert the resistance and that is the last thing we need, their encouragement. We need someone who can work quietly behind the scenes. Someone cold-blooded, ruthless, criminally insane. Send for Alistair," Lucifer said with a grin.

ooooooo

Dean dropped the last few steps off of the ladder, landing with a soft thud on the ground below. Castiel followed closely behind, standing beside the taller man. He looked down and felt a wave of vertigo hit and he swayed. Strong arms steadied him and Castiel glanced into green eyes, before looking down again.

Dean frowned, "What's the matter?"

"I don't like heights," Castiel relented, almost breathlessly, clutching the man's arms in a tight grip. "Why couldn't you build a city on the ground?"

The depths seemed endless, dark. As though if he fell, he would fall forever. His stomach knotted almost painfully and he gripped at Dean's arms tighter.

"Look at me, Cas," Dean said, his voice soft. When those blue eyes found his, Dean smiled. "Try not to look down." He led the shorter man away from the narrow path. He tried to stay on the wider paths for the Angel's sake, keeping him far from the edge as possible, as they made it across the city. That sudden terror that he had seen in Castiel's eyes, it unsettled him, more than Dean liked to admit.

Hell, he just met the guy. He shouldn't be having feelings like that, for Christ's sake. If Sammy were still there, he would rip Dean a new one at the girly emotions. At the sudden turn of his thoughts, Dean forced them away, trying not to think of his little brother's disappearance.

When he found the building he was looking for, Dean stopped, knocking on the door.

A small slit opened and Dean spoke, "I'm returning a library book. It's a work of J.K. Rowling."

The man on the other side commented, "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies."

"But a great deal more to stand up to your friends," Dean replied smoothly and the slit closed, leaving the two standing outside. The sound of locks clanking could be heard. Dean could feel the intent stare that Castiel was giving him and he turned to face the shorter man, frowning slightly, "What?" He demanded in a gruff voice.

"You know Harry Potter?"

"Sue me," Dean turned away, but not missing the small smile that Castiel had. He felt himself returning the gesture as the door opened finally.

"C'mon, be quick," the man ordered, leading them inside.

"Hello, Rufus," Dean said cheerfully as they stepped onto the bus. Rufus moved some switches by the steering wheel and suddenly the bus was sinking into the ground. Castiel stumbled, falling against Dean, who steadied the Angel.

"It's alright," Dean mumbled and just as suddenly as it started, the bus stopped moving. He motioned for Castiel to step off first and followed behind the shorter man. When they stood inside another hallway, the sound of a gun cocking had Dean spinning around quickly.

He stared at the older man, who was holding a gun threateningly at the pair. "Oh, come on Rufus, just put that away. You know me well enough," Dean tried to reason as he stood in front of Castiel, shielding the younger man.

"I have my orders. And keep those hands where I can see them," Rufus insisted, raising the gun a bit. Dean laughed but Rufus didn't look amused. "I've seen what you can do, Dean."

"Did you like the box of samples I sent you last week? Sausage, ham?"

"It's all gone," Rufus relented, frowning.

"Well, if you don't treat me and my friend here with a bit of respect, you won't be getting another crumb," Dean said in a harsh voice.

At that, Rufus lowered the gun. "Sorry, Dean. It's just that everyone's a bit jumpy."

"Everyone's always jumpy," Dean replied, the anger still in his voice. He pushed Castiel forward and they followed Rufus down the hallway. Over the railing, Castiel could see a sort of library below. There were probably thousands of books, stacked high in piles throughout the large, open room. But there were countless people inside; some were sleeping on the floor, others chatting quietly in small groups. "Where are we?" He asked softly.

Dean glanced at the Angel, noiting the interest in those blue eyes. "The Great Library. There's over five-thousand years worth of history hidden down here. Any and every subject you can think of. Art, literature, law," Dean informed. "Don't tell me, you're a nerd, aren't you?"

"I enjoy reading," Castiel confessed.

"You'd get along with my brother," Dean nodded and continued, "This was rescued when Lucifer seized power. He'd like nothing more than to see this place burn to the ground."

Castiel turned his gaze from the library to catch Dean's eyes. "Who's Lucifer?"

"He don't know Lucifer?" Rufus demanded, turning around pointing the gun at them again. "Who the hell is he, Dean?"

Dean grumbled, "Would you just calm the hell down, Rufus? The kid's led a sheltered life, doesn't get out much. That's all."

"Back to the bus," Rufus growled, not listening to Dean's words any longer. Dean sighed and reached into his coat pocket. Rufus growled, "Hands where I can see them!"

"Have you not learned to trust me yet?" Dean asked as he pulled out a wrapped wedge of cheese. "Now, can we get on with this show or do you want to send us back? It's so hard to make a decision on an empty stomach."

Rufus cursed but took the cheese, lowering his weapon. He shoved the cheese into his own coat pocket before directing Dean and Castiel down the hall.

Castiel grimaced, "He's supposed to help me find Balthazar?"

Dean could hear the disbelief in the Angel's voice. "Don't worry, their boss is a little more savvy."

They came to a stop, Rufus motioning them to wait while he moved ahead. Castiel moved to look over the railing, watching the people mill about. Dean stood next to him, "Anyway, those that don't want to be a part of Lucifer's world of instant gratification, they come here. It's the only safe place to hide, and even still, it's dangerous. They wouldn't stand a chance if Lucifer found out."

"Why?" Castiel asked studying the groups. "Why does Lucifer want to destroy all of this?"

The concern on Castiel's face almost surprised Dean. Maybe he was the Angel of Legend, after all. But he wasn't about to get his hopes up. He had learned his lesson with Sammy, who had fled the first chance he got. "Wisdom's his biggest threat. He controls people with a quick fix."

Neither spoke as they watched a mother tend to her child. Before any more words could be exchanged, Rufus returned. "Right then, get a move on, will ya?"


	4. Chapter 4

The man sitting behind the worn desk was anything but. He was dressed, Castiel noted, impeccably, with a black suit ensemble. A receding hairline was slicked back, dark eyes glancing over papers. As they approached, the man looked up and smirked when he recognized Dean. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit, Dean?" The man's voice had a thick accent, Castiel believed it to be English.

"Oh, just the usual, Crowley," Dean replied with a shrug.

Crowley's gaze slid over Castiel and the man's smile widened, eyes leering. "And who's your friend?" he asked as he stood from his seat, stopping a few paces from the pair. Though he was the shortest in the room (Castiel noted that he was still taller than his brother Gabriel), he had an air about him that commanded attention.

Dean nodded towards the Angel, "This is Cas, he's looking for a friend of his. Balthazar Rocket—"

"Roché," Castiel corrected but Dean continued talking, regardless of the interruption.

"And he needs help. Naturally, I thought of you. You have a certain talent for finding things," Dean finished, hoping to get Crowley in a good mood by complimenting him. The man certainly wasn't above that.

"Really?" Crowley seemed surprised and he stepped forward. "And why would I want to help your Angel, when you know that bringing him here puts us all at risk?" The man countered, reproachful.

Dean scoffed, "Oh, c'mon. I've spent years smuggling more dangerous things than him down here." And it was true. The weapons they currently used were among them. He spared a glance to Rufus, who held his gun firmly pointed at Dean.

The dark-haired man let out a chuckle. "You know what annoys me most about morons like you, Dean?" Crowley began and Dean had to force back a sigh. Once the man got going, he could really let out a rant. "Your insolence. You think you can play both sides of the court and come away with two trophies. I haven't seen daylight for three years."

"You know I'm on your side, Crowley," Dean insisted, staring down the shorter man boldly.

Crowley raised his dark eyebrows, amused, "I'm sure you say that to all your enemies, darling." He turned away from them, facing his desk while toying with a paper weight.

"I do what's necessary," Dean commented, continuing in a harsher tone, "I kiss what ass needs it so your machine stays oiled."

Castiel watched the two bicker for a moment longer before deciding that enough was enough. "If you can't help me, I'll just leave," he spoke when there was a break in conversation and turned to leave. This entire situation seemed fishy and to be honest, he wanted no part of it. He would have to find another way to get to Balthazar.

His exasperation must have sounded louder than he thought because Crowley whipped around to face the leaving Angel. "Headstrong, isn't he?" Crowley laughed, smiling as Castiel froze in his tracks and spun on his heel.

"Can you help me get Balthazar out of the casino?" Castiel was tired, he wanted to go home, wanted to be done with all of this. But he was stuck in this world that was on the brink of some war.

Crowley waved his hand dismissively. "I don't see how, kitten." He shrugged and leaned against his desk, crossing his ankles. The expression he wore dared either of them to question him.

Castiel frowned at the nickname but before he could say anything about it, Dean broke in, "The resistance has contacts inside the casino, right?" He knew Crowley had people everywhere; the man was a slimy bastard.

"That depends," he said, pushing himself forward and getting in Dean's personal space. "I think we've known each other long enough, darling, for you to know I don't do anything that doesn't benefit me."

"He can pay you," Dean offered.

Crowley spared an inquisitive glance to Castiel. The Angel didn't seem to have much on him besides the clothes he wore. "Pay me? With what? The little urchin looks worse off for wear then you do, my dear."

Dean leaned towards Castiel, whispering in the shorter man's ear. "Show him the necklace, Cas."

Castiel blinked. "What?"

"The necklace you're wearing," Dean's gaze shifted towards the golden lump he could see resting against his chest. Gold could fetch quite a bit these days and Crowley was just the type to be won over by it.

But Castiel shook his head, frowning. "No, I'm not selling it," his voice was firm in his decision. It wasn't his to give, it was Balthazar's.

"It's all you've got, Cas," Dean urged, because if Castiel didn't do this, then they would reach a dead end. Dean was reluctant to admit this, even to himself, but Crowley was their best, and most likely only, option.

"No," Castiel raised his voice, staring Dean in the eyes defiantly.

Dean returned the stare, hoping he could convey the importance of the gold with his eyes. But Castiel remained firm in his decision. Damn, but the Angel was determined, he thought. It was a bit of a turn on, really. But now wasn't the time or the place, Dean told himself. Besides, Castiel was too interested in his …friend? …boyfriend? Balthazar, for Dean to make any kind of move on the younger man in good conscience.

Crowley grew impatient and stepped close to Castiel, taking the pendant in his hands. He gazed at it for a long moment, turning it this way and that. He narrowed his eyes, suspicion creeping in as he glared at the Angel, "It's not possible. Where did you get it?" His tone was accusing and Castiel flinched back.

"It's not of import. I'm not selling it," he placed a hand on his chest, shielding the pendant from scrutiny.

His face flushed in anger as he stepped forward. "Where did you get it?" Crowley all but yelled.

Dean moved in front of Castiel, stepping between the two. "What is it?"

Taking a deep breath, Crowley calmed himself before speaking again. His voice was strained when he finally continued, "Your Angel is wearing the Amulet of Purgatory."

Dean's mouth dropped open as he shot a questioning glance to Castiel, "That's impossible."

"I'm never wrong, mate," Crowley responded smugly.

Dean blinked and stared at Castiel, eyes searching. "Where did you get it, Cas?"

The severe tone in Dean's voice surprised Castiel, and he stepped back nervously. It suddenly felt like the two men were ganging up on him. Dean must have noticed the anxious look on his face because he looked guilty before he took a step back. "Balthazar gave it to me. The man we're looking for," he added quickly before either could question who Balthazar was.

Crowley's anger was rising again and he demanded, "Where did he get it?"

"I don't know," Castiel said weakly, clutching the amulet.

"Give it to me!" Crowley snarled, red-faced and breathing heavily.

"No!" Castiel yelled back, standing his ground.

Crowley spun around and moved towards Rufus. "Take him out," he growled with frustration. Rufus cocked his gun, aiming at Castiel with an apologetic look on his face.

"Are you crazy?" Castiel gasped, eyes wide with fright as the barrel of the gun stared him down. Fear seized him and his heart pounded in his chest. His body was rigid and tense and he found it difficult to breathe.

Dean pulled Castiel behind him, but when Crowley pulled out his own gun, he held up his hands in defense, "Stop, just wait."

"Sweetie, you're in over your head," Crowley said, voiced raised in anger, as he clicked the safety off.

"Calm down, put the damn gun away. I'm sure we can all get what we want here," Dean tried to reason, staring Crowley in the eye and daring him to shoot.

Crowley groaned, running a hand over his face in frustration. His voice was low, dark, when he began, "We've been waiting for years for a break like this, and now it falls into our laps."

Dean nodded along, "I get what you're saying, man. But just put the gun away."

"If we can return the Angels back to their world, well then maybe we can save ours," Crowley continued walking closer towards Dean and Castiel, who took a few steps back.

"Just put the gun down!"

"Think about it, Lucifer reduced to filth," Crowley grinned at the thought. "It'll be just like the old days! Justice, reason, and the rule of law."

When Crowley was close enough, Dean surged forward as he tried to knock the gun from the other man's hands. But Crowley's finger slipped, the gun firing and Dean fell to the ground with a grunt of pain.

"No, Dean!" Castiel screamed, wanting to run to him, but Rufus still had his gun trained on him.

"We don't need him anymore," Crowley commented to Rufus, his own gun still aimed at the fallen man. "The amulet is our ticket out of here."

It was pure luck, what happened next. A rush of adrenaline ran through Castiel and he lunged towards Crowley, kneeing him in the groin. Rufus fired his own gun, but it jammed. Castiel took that chance to flee the room, while the dark-skinned man cursed his weapon and tried to fix it.

Dean managed to stand, pulling the gun he kept hidden in the holster around his hips. He aimed at Crowley, who had lost his own when he Castiel knocked him down. "Leave him alone, or this bullet's going between the eyes." Dean groaned, clutching at the wound on his abdomen.

"Look, Dean, this is a game changer, don't you get it?" Crowley tried to reason as he stood slowly.

"Back the fuck off!"

"If you let him leave with that necklace, I'll have every member of the resistance hunting you down. You'll be dead before breakfast!"

"And that's the thanks I get for keeping you assholes fed over the years?"

It happened fast. Crowley grabbed Dean by the arm, twisting it so that Dean kneeled before him and giving him a hard shove. The man took that opportunity to run after the Angel.

Castiel ran down the hallway they had come in, past the library and to the strange bus. Once he got there, though, he had no idea how to work it. There were a dozen different levers and buttons. He pulled one, then pushed a button, then pulled another lever but nothing worked. Glancing up, he saw Crowley running towards him and his eyes widened in fear.

Frantically, he pulled every lever he could reach, "Please, just…" his voice trailed off when Crowley groaned in pain. He looked up to see that Dean had tackled the man to the ground. "Dean!" A wave of relief flew through him at the sight of the other man. He was alive!

"The blue button!" Dean pointed in the general direction, struggling to keep Crowley down.

Castiel found the button and was about to push it, but he watched as Dean and Crowley grappled on the ground. When Crowley seemed to get the upper hand, Dean yelled out, "Go, Cas! Hurry up!" The two struggled for dominance before Castiel made up his mind.

He rushed forward, pinching the pressure point in the back of Crowley's neck, who had been ready to punch Dean into the floor. The man slumped over, passed out beside Dean. Dean stared up at Castiel, as the Angel helped him to his feet. "How'd you do that?" The awe was clear in his voice as they rushed towards the bus.

"My brother taught me," Castiel murmured as he pushed the blue button and turned to help Dean, who had sprawled out on the floor. He didn't know what he could do with a gunshot wound, but knew that the wound needed pressure to slow the bleeding.

"I'm okay," Dean insisted when Castiel began searching for the bullet wound. The Angel turned confused blue eyes at him. Dean pulled down the collar of his shirt, revealing dark clothing beneath it. "Body armor."

Castiel stared at the material doubtfully. Biting his lip, he pushed Dean's shirt up, revealing the deformed bullet that was embedded in the dark material. Carefully, he brought a finger up to touch the metal. He sighed when the metal fell away easily, leaving not even a mark in the material. Relief poured through him at the discovery. He wasn't completely sure why, but he didn't want Dean hurt.

Dean groaned at the sight of the Angel above him, practically straddling his hips. Those blue eyes were concentrated on him and that bottom lip was worried enticingly by white teeth. He was sure that Castiel had no idea what effect he was having on Dean, and that made it even worse. Heat pooled in his groin and he quickly slid out from under the Angel, sitting up and leaning against the seat. At his questioning gaze, Dean responded with a smirk, "You should buy a guy dinner, first."

Castiel blinked and then felt his face heat up at the other man's words. He had been straddling the guy! "I apologize, I hadn't…"

"S'okay, Cas, I was kidding," Dean interrupted. Well, he had been mostly kidding. And with the Angel's flushed appearance, he couldn't help but wonder what the man looked like during sex. He felt himself go hard at the thought and he frowned, Think of Crowley, think of Rufus, think of Crowley and Rufus together and ewww… Problem solved, he noted with relief.

Castiel quickly changed the subject, "Tell me the truth," he said in a voice that was still shaky. "What is the Amulet of Purgatory?"

Dean groaned as he stood. He might not have a hole in his gut, but there was sure to be a bruise. "It's the key to the Gate, the doorway that connects our worlds together. Lucifer stole it from Michael and his Hunters hundreds of years ago and killed them all, so he would be the sole keeper of the Gate. How did Balthazar get a hold of it?" Dean asked.

Castiel stared at the necklace in wonder, oblivious of Dean's question. This little thing held that much power? It seemed impossible, but then again, this entire day had been full of impossibilities turned possible. His thoughts turned to the last few moments, where he had almost been shot at, Dean had almost been killed, the adrenaline and the fear and the attraction towards the taller man.

When the bus finally stopped, Castiel stormed out and onto one of the dirt pathways. He almost stepped too far, but caught himself, taking several steps back. He bumped into Dean, who had been following closely.

"Where do you think you're going?" Dean questioned, resting his hands on Castiel's shoulders. Castiel pulled himself from the taller man's grip, stepping away.

"Anywhere but here," he responded testily, storming down another path. He heard Dean's footsteps close behind him as the other man trailed. "I can't believe this is happening. I mean, this place, you people… They almost shot me! And you, you could have died!"

"Cas, listen. Just calm down," Dean reached for Castiel's arm, pulling the shorter man to him and holding him still. "I'm going to try and get you home."

Doubtful blue eyes stared up at Dean and he was lost. In all of Purgatory, he had never seen such blue eyes. "And what's in it for you? Because it seems like everyone here is out for themselves. Gordon, Crowley," Castiel named angrily.

"I don't blame you for being angry. But Cas, you gotta understand. This world is different than yours. Watching out for yourself, it's how you stay alive here." Castiel stared up at Dean, who sighed after a long moment, "Cas, this is a dangerous place. Trust me, you're gonna need my help. So please, just let me help you."

After a long moment, the Angel nodded.


	5. Chapter 5

"The Gate is the only way to get you home," Dean spoke as he led Castiel down yet another winding path on the outskirts of the city. "It's here, in the city, but Lucifer's got his Demons guarding it."

Castiel stayed as far from the edge as he could while keeping up with the Hunter. "I've got to find Balthazar, first," Castiel reminded the taller man. After all, Balthazar was the entire reason he was here, in this mess to begin with.

Dean stopped and Castiel bumped into him. "Haven't you been listening at all?" He asked, turning to gaze at the Angel.

"Er, I don't know how he got mixed up in this," Castiel started, unsure. "You see, he was trying to, I guess surprise me. Somehow he got this amulet," He glanced down, running a finger along the ridges of the necklace idly. "And because of it, because of me, he's in a lot of trouble. If… If it weren't for me, he would be home, safe."

Dean narrowed his eyes, wondering why Castiel blamed himself. He didn't know the full story, but it seemed like it was this Balthazar guy who was at fault, not Cas. "How did he get it?"

Castiel bit his lip, not looking into those green eyes. "I don't know. But I'm the only one that can get him out of this."

Dean watched Castiel with a critical eye, watched as that lower lip was worried tantalizingly and he had to breathe deeply to clear his head. "How do you figure?"

"Well, I've got the amulet. I could use it to negotiate his release?" Castiel suggested, not sure how things worked in this world. But if the higher ups wanted something, they were usually willing to negotiate. At least, that's how it worked in the movies.

"No, you can't negotiate with Lucifer. He's insane. I'm sorry, Cas, but you just need to forget about him and get out of here while you still can."

With a frown, Castiel pressed, "I can't just abandon Balthazar. He's innocent. Besides, I…"

"You what?" Dean prodded.

"That is to say, I think I… I mean, he's the only one who's ever…" Castiel could feel his face heating in his embarrassment. He didn't even know why he was trying to explain himself. Why did it matter if Dean knew that Castiel had horrible people skills and had turned away the very few suitors he had, save for Balthazar?

"What?" Dean asked and when he noticed the blush on the Angel's face, his eyes widened. There was no way Castiel was a virgin, was there? With that bedroom voice, the sex-mussed hair, those wide, blue eyes, and no one had tried to get in his pants? "Cas, you," he started but froze when someone began shouting. "Stay close," he whispered and Castiel followed.

Peeking around the corner, Dean found The Roadhouse entrance crowded with several people. One of which was Ash, the bartender. He was shoved up against the wall while a tall, thin man gripped his collar tightly. "Have you seen him?" the man asked in a sing-song voice.

"I don't know who you're talking about," Ash said defensively, holding his hands out. "I haven't seen him!"

The thin man growled in frustration, "Get out of here!" and tossed Ash to the floor. He moved on to his next target, Gordon. "He told you he was Castiel?" The delight in the thin man's voice was hard to miss.

Dean groaned, running a hand over his face in annoyance. "Dammit, Gordon."

"Who is that?" Castiel asked, leaning over to see what was going on.

Dean was about to respond, when the man seemed to spot them. "Run, Cas."

The Angel didn't need to be told a second time and they were off. Dean led the way, maneuvering around the narrow paths, constantly looking over his shoulder to make sure that Castiel was still with him.

He turned swiftly into a hidden alley, tugging Castiel who had lost his balance at the sudden change in direction. Dean pressed the shorter man to the wall, both breathing heavily from the run. "Shh," he whispered and listened.

At first, the only thing either could hear was the sound of each other breathing. Castiel looked up at Dean, wondering what was going on. Dean caught his gaze and time seemed to freeze. The way the Angel was pressed between him and the wall, with green ivy framing his face, and those blue eyes gazing at him searchingly. Not to mention how Castiel fit perfectly against his body, touching in all the right places.

His gaze dropped to those pink lips that were slightly parted. All Dean wanted to do was to just lean a bit closer, to feel those lips against his. He wanted to know what the Angel tasted like, how his skin felt, how soft his hair really was.

Castiel subconsciously licked his lips and he watched Dean's gaze track the movement. Were they about to kiss? He knew that he shouldn't, that he was still connected to Balthazar, but right now, Castiel wanted to figure out why his body was responding so much to this man. He felt himself leaning forward, could feel Dean's breath against his lips.

Shouts and heavy footsteps snapped them from their trance and Dean mumbled a soft, "Fuck." Neither moved as the Demons ran past, and once the footsteps faded away, Dean pulled Castiel after him.

They ran until they reached one of the aqueducts. A sleek, black boat was tied to the dock and Dean motioned for Castiel to climb inside. "This is my smuggling boat," he said as he started the engine. It roared to life just as the thin man appeared, several Demons behind him.

Dean slammed on the gas, sending the boat flying through the water and towards the lake. "Where is the casino?" Castiel asked once they were on the lake and in the clear. There was nothing but water ahead of them, and as they continued at the rapid pace, trees began to rise on the horizon.

"I've already told you, you can't negotiate with Lucifer," Dean said as he let off the gas a bit. Now that they were out of the city, they were safer. A thought occurred to him suddenly, "But, the Demons are a different story. They might be willing to negotiate. It's a long shot, but it's the only one we've got."

Castiel watched Dean's face for a moment, the light from the sun casting shadows over his features. "We?"

Dean kept his gaze forward. "I don't know if you noticed, Cas, but the bar was destroyed. I'm a target not only for the Demons, but the resistance too. There's only so many places in Purgatory I can hide. The way I see it, I've only got one option."

Castiel's brows furrowed, frowning slightly, "Which is?"

"Go back with you. To your world." He cast a quick glance at Castiel out of the corner of his eye, noting the curiosity in those blue eyes. "I have a brother there. Haven't seen him in a few years, but it's worth a shot."

Before any more words could be exchanged, the sound of a helicopter reached their ears. Both turned around, spotting a Dragon flying towards them. "Before we do anything, we have to get rid of that bitch." Dean said and stepped on the gas, trying to get to the forest as quickly as possible.

When they reached the shore, Castiel helped Dean secure the boat, hiding it with foliage. A strange cry pierced the air and the Angel froze, chills running down his spine. "What was that?"

"There's things in these woods that you've only seen in ghost stories," Dean said and stepped away from the boat. Castiel paused, staring after him. A chill ran down his spine at the idea of walking into those woods. Every hair on his body was standing on end. And Dean wanted to go in?

"It'll be harder for those Demons to track us this way. C'mon, we haven't got much time."

He didn't want to be too far from the taller man, and he certainly didn't want to be left behind, so Castiel rushed to catch up. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" He asked, sticking close to Dean's side so that their arms bumped occasionally.

"We can't fight them and we can't lose them. So our best bet is leading them into a trap."

They walked for a few minutes with the sounds of the woods echoing around them. Another cry sounded and Castiel shuffled closer to Dean. He thanked whatever deity he could think of that it was still light out. "You should find a tree to climb," the taller man said, stopping suddenly and looking around carefully.

Castiel tilted his head in confusion, looking up at the other. "What?"

"That trap we talked about? It's here," Dean commented, glancing around the woods with a critical eye.

Castiel was beyond confused. "What do you mean?"

"Hellhounds. Once they catch your scent, they keep following until they're dead. I'm going to lead one to the Demons. Now, go!"

Castiel's eyes widened and he clutched Dean's arm, "But you'll be okay, right?"

Dean was about to respond when a screeching howl interrupted them. They both turned slowly to find a large creature, the size of one of those draft horses Castiel had seen at the fairgrounds a few summers ago. It was gruesome and vaguely resembled a dog, all fangs and drool, with red eyes. It was crouched as though ready to pounce and stared at the two men intently.

"Run!" Dean yelled and took off running, pulling Castiel in his direction. They ran for an eternity it felt like and Castiel's lungs were burning, his calves aching. But the Hellhound was still hot on their tail, never giving up.

A bang of a gun reached their ears, followed by a loud yelp, and they turned to see the Hellhound fall to the ground, still. A man with a beard and a ball cap stood a few yards from the fallen beast, shotgun still smoking.

"What're you idjits doing, ruining my hunt?" Came the gruff question. The man lowered his weapon and approached the two, who were still panting from the desperate run.

"W-who are you?" Castiel asked, barely able to get the words out.

The man gave them a disinterested look, "I'm a Hunter. The name's Bobby Singer. Now who the hell're you?"

"I'm Castiel—"

"The Angel of Legend?" Shock appeared on the older man's face as he interrupted, stepping closer to get a better look at the Angel.

"I don't…" Castiel's voice trailed off. Though it had been mentioned several times, he had no idea what this Angel of Legend was. But he was fairly certain he wasn't one.

"You said Hunter, right? I thought you were all dead," Dean pointed out, changing the subject.

"Well, you thought wrong," Bobby said defiantly. "As you can see, I'm alive and kickin'."

"Are there any others like you?" Castiel remembered Dean telling him about the war between Lucifer and Michael. He had said something about Hunters then.

"If there were more of us, do you think Purgatory would be the way it is, with Lucifer runnin' the show?" Bobby replied sarcastically. Castiel nodded in understanding.

"You took down that Hellhound on your own?" Dean asked, motioning towards the dead beast. He had never heard of such a thing; the Hellhounds were one of the most fearsome creatures in Purgatory.

"What, just because I'm old I can't hunt a beast? Boy, I've hunted things you've only ever dreamed about!"

"We didn't mean to sound offensive," Castiel said quickly and Bobby flicked his gaze towards the Angel. His eyes lowered, looking at the pendant around his neck.

"Is that… You have the Amulet of Purgatory," Bobby sounded amazed and hopeful when he spoke.

"Can you help us?" Castiel asked, just as hopeful.

Dean groaned, pulling Castiel aside and out of earshot of the older man. "Cas, we need to get out of here. Have you forgotten about the psycho chasing us?"

"But he's survived out here on his own, maybe he knows a thing or two," Castiel insisted and returned to Bobby. "Do you know anywhere we could lay low for awhile?"

"As a matter of fact, I do." Castiel sent a smug look to Dean, who was stunned. "Well don't just stand there! Let's get movin'!"

Bobby led them a few yards away where there were two large horses, sleek and black, tied to some trees. "You'll have to share," he commented as he opened a satchel, pulling out a net. He whispered a few words that neither Dean nor Castiel could understand before tying it to a pole and attaching it to the saddle of one of the horses. "This'll cover our tracks." He said and repeated the process for the other horse.

The older man mounted his own horse before indicating that Dean and Castiel should do the same. "Haven't got all day," he grumbled impatiently.

Dean moved to climb on the horse when he felt Castiel tug at his sleeve. He noted the uncertainty in the blue eyes and couldn't help but think how adorable the dark-haired young man looked. "I've never ridden a horse," the Angel confessed softly.

Dean smiled and patted him on the back. "Don't worry, I'll do the navigating. You just hold on." He climbed on the horse then instructed Castiel to put his foot in the stirrup. Dean swung the shorter man up to rest behind him. Castiel gasped and wrapped his arms around Dean's waist tightly when the horse, impatient and eager to catch up to its buddy, lurched forward. The taller man couldn't shake the smile from his face when he felt Castiel's body press against his. He had to remind himself that it still wasn't a good idea to lust after the Angel.

In an attempt to distract himself, Dean watched the ground for a moment, noticing the deep prints the horse made. He turned his head, glancing behind the horse. The net dragged across the ground, leveling the hoof prints as though they were never there. "That's pretty nifty," he commented and Bobby huffed something about them being 'idjits.'

"You comfy?" He asked lightly.

"Not particularly," was the muffled response he got. Castiel refused to look at the ground, instead keeping his face pressed against Dean's back, eyes shut tightly. The scent of the other man filled his nose and he let out a sigh, finding the scent soothing. It was hard to describe, maybe sandalwood mixed with something that he was certain was entirely Dean.

Dean laughed softly, but said nothing else. It was almost peaceful as they travelled through the forest. If he didn't know any better, he would think it was just a regular forest. But he knew there were more Hellhounds and other creatures stalking the woods.

"Welcome," Bobby said after awhile, "To my humble abode."

When the horse stopped, Castiel risked a glance. A sprawling city lay before them, picturesque. The buildings were made of a white stone and tall trees were spread out between the structures. A thin fog had settled over the city in the dimming light, orange and pinks splashing color across the walls of the city. It reminded him of an old, Greek city. "Beautiful."

"We have to walk the rest of the way," Bobby said as he slid off his horse. Castiel breathed a sigh of relief as he slid off, landing with a soft thump on the ground. Horses were beautiful creatures to look at, but he didn't care much for riding them. He was grateful Dean didn't seem to mind how close Castiel had been. He blushed at the thought.

Bobby tended the horses, leading them to a small paddock that Castiel hadn't noticed right away. While Dean helped, Castiel moved to the top of the hill that overlooked the city.

He wasn't quite sure what to make of his feelings for Dean. He still cared for Balthazar, didn't he? After all, he was sole reason he was here. But there was something about Dean that the Angel couldn't shake. Even with all the danger he had faced since coming to Purgatory, Dean has helped him the entire time. And considering that Castiel was a stranger to the taller man, and had no obligations to do anything for him, Dean continued to protect him.

He risked a glance towards the man, watching him spear a chunk of hay and carrying it towards the horses. Dean had shed his outer shirt and was only wearing a thin, black shirt that hugged him tightly. He could see the muscles in the man's back ripple as he worked and he gulped, remembering how they felt against his body even through their clothes.

He hadn't ever felt this way about Balthazar. What was he going to do? When Dean caught his eye, the Angel blushed and turned away. If Gabriel were here, he knew what his older brother would say, "You've got it bad, bro."

Instead, Bobby's gruff voice broke his thoughts, "Let's move out, idjits."


	6. Chapter 6

Lilith followed the tall man's steps at Lucifer's order. Despite the fact that Alistair was being paid for this job, their Lord still didn't trust him. He was, after all, maniacal, and even though it was a trait that Lucifer admired, he was not willing to put his complete trust in the man. So Lilith was stuck following the man's every move.

Alistair had found the pair's boat and picked up their trail easily when they reached the forest. She hated to admit it, but the man was good, even with all that crazy in him.

"This way," he informed and led the group into the forest.

"Why would they willingly step into the Forest?" Lilith wondered aloud. She didn't understand the logic behind the pair they were chasing. "No one's ever made it out alive." She even got chills as they stepped over fallen branches, gazing around the darkening forest.

A weak chuckle sounded and she directed her attention to Alistair. "That's what they want you to think," he commented in a sing-song voice that sent chills down Lilith's spine. The man was disturbed, had a thing for the dark and twisted. Of course he would be at home here.

"Sir?" Another Demon called out from several paces ahead, alerting their attention.

In a swift movement, Alistair approached the Demon. He indicated a fallen Hellhound and Alistair crouched down to investigate. "The body is still warm," he said with amusement, laughing. "They were here not too long ago."

"I can't find their tracks, sir," The Demon commented. "They just disappear."

"They had help," Alistair stood and walked the perimeter of the area. "Whoever's helping them knows a thing or two about hunting, I imagine."

"Perhaps the beast consumed them before it met its demise?" Lilith suggested. The Hellhound looked awfully bloated to her. But to be honest, she had never seen one up close like this.

"No. The prints tell a different story. They had help. Ah-ha," Alistair kneeled to the ground, picking up an empty shell from a gun. "Yes. They certainly had help indeed." He let out a low chuckle that disturbed Lilith.

ooooo

Castiel walked beside Bobby, with Dean trailing a few paces behind. Bobby had been telling them stories about the city, and ever the one for knowledge, Castiel listened intently. "Before the war with Lucifer, this was once the greatest city in all of Purgatory. Michael and his Hunters ruled with careful wisdom."

"So Lucifer and his Demons destroyed everything?" Castiel inquired, stepping over a large log.

Bobby nodded solemnly as they reached the outskirts of the city. "It was a brutal war, and when Lucifer won, he only wanted to feel the good, not the bad."

They walked, no one willing to say anything further. Castiel glanced around, noting the crumbling walls of the ancient city. Everything reminded him of something he would have seen in a history text. It was hauntingly beautiful, even in the dimming light.

Bobby stopped after a few more minutes of quiet walking. "Believe it or not, this was once the throne room." In front of them was a small clearing, with young trees just beginning to grow. At the center was a stone seat that was crumbling like the rest of the city. "We'll make camp here. You, boy, go get some wood," he ordered Dean.

Grumbling, Dean sauntered from the area. "Is there anything I can help with?" Castiel asked.

"When he gets back, start a fire. Gets cold at night. There's some fruit here," Bobby replied, motioning to a small pile of strangely shaped fruit. "Don't want to risk hunting with those Demons about. I'll stand guard," he continued as he pulled his gun out and walked off towards the edge of the clearing.

With nothing to do, Castiel wandered about their makeshift camp. It was strange, being here. There was an unmistakable sadness that hung in the air. And all of this was because of Lucifer? He shivered, partly from the chill in the air, but mostly in fear of the prospect of meeting the man.

Dean returned only a few minutes later with an armful of logs. They went about setting the fire, and once it was lit, the two sat near, basking in the warmth. Castiel finished off a piece of fruit, finding its sweet taste almost addicting.

"So, Cas, tell me about yourself," Dean said, glancing at the Angel. They had all night, they might as well talk.

Castiel shrugged, "There's not much to tell. I'm nothing special, really."

Dean gave him a hard look, "I doubt that. What about family? Friends?"

The Angel stared at Dean for a long moment, before breaking his gaze and looking up at the sky. "When I was twelve, my Dad left. Gabriel, my brother, he had to drop out of college to take care of me. But everything turned out okay, I guess." Then, with a smile, he added, "He's also dating my best friend, Sam."

"Sam, huh?" Dean commented, watching the dark-haired man. "I have a little brother named Sam."

"Where is he?" Castiel asked, turning his gaze back to Dean.

Dean frowned, shrugging. "Been a few years since I've seen him. We used to be close, but then Lucifer and everything happened. Sam was tired of it. He ran."

It was a painful memory, the day Sam decided that he was sick of Lucifer and the 'feel-good' drugs. Sam had begged Dean to come with him, but he stayed. He couldn't leave his home. He still couldn't. There was too much to do here, too many people that needed help. Lucifer had all of Purgatory so clouded that people couldn't see their hands in front of their faces. The few that had any sense left in them were seeking refuge in the Library.

But he knew it wouldn't be long before Lucifer destroyed that too.

Neither spoke, Dean watching the fire and Castiel staring up at the sky. The stars looked the same and he leaned back, "Is it really possible?"

"What?" Dean turned to look at Castiel, watching the light of the fire dance across the younger man's features.

"Can we make a deal with the Demons?"

"I've only met the guy once. He works part time at the casino. But as long as you've got that amulet, you've got a chance."

Castiel frowned, tilting his head. "You? What happened to 'we'?"

Dean sighed, and when he spoke after a long moment, there was a hesitance to his tone, "I can't leave, Cas. Purgatory's my home. I can't abandon it, despite what I said. I have to stay and fight."

Castiel was surprised, "What?"

"Being here, seeing what's become of this great kingdom? It's a bit of a wakeup call, Cas. There are hundreds of refugees hiding underground, all counting on me."

The Angel blinked, "But, didn't Crowley say he wanted you dead?" He couldn't figure out why Dean would stay behind when it seemed like everyone in Purgatory wanted him dead. As though no one would appreciate what Dean was willing to do to help them.

Dean shrugged. "I turn up with the amulet, he might forgive me."

Castiel looked away, finally understanding. Everything seemed to come back to the amulet. He knew how important it was, but he had hoped that Dean would have been more interested in him rather than the trinket. He suddenly felt guilty at his thoughts. Here he was, pining after the guy sitting next to him, when there was a whole world out there that needed saving.

The crestfallen look on the Angel's features made Dean's gut churn. "Don't worry, I'll get you home safe and sound first," he assured.

"And Balthazar?" Castiel asked, voice barely above a whisper.

"You have to forget about Balthazar. If we try to break him out of the casino, it'll only alert Lucifer. It'll make your escape impossible!"

Castiel stood, no longer wanting to be near the other man, "So you were just leading me on, back there?" He was angry and he didn't trust his voice with any more than that. He shut his eyes, breathing slow and deep, trying to calm down.

"It's suicide, Cas," Dean continued, wishing that the Angel would see his reasoning. But Castiel kept his back to him and Dean sighed, "Balthazar's a lucky guy."

The Angel blinked, turning to look at Dean. "What?"

"Nothing," Dean mumbled and stood as well. "It's late and we all need our rest. We can argue about this tomorrow." With that, he walked out of the light of the fire and disappeared from sight.

Castiel almost crumbled to the ground, body shaking. He knew Dean was right, but he couldn't leave Balthazar behind. He would hate himself for the rest of his life if he left him in that casino. If he didn't do everything he could to help him, he wouldn't be able to live with that knowledge.

He slept for maybe a couple hours and woke when it was still dark. Dean was slumped against a tree, sound asleep. Bobby, he could hear snoring just on the other side of camp.

Castiel sighed, pulling off the trench coat and folding it neatly, laying it on the ground where he had been sleeping. He left camp as quietly as he could walking in what he hoped was the right direction. He reached the outskirts of the ancient city just as dawn broke, and slumped against a tree that overlooked it. He was panting softly from the hike when he heard it.

A soft whine caught his attention and Castiel slowly turned to face the sound. A small white dog stood staring at him, dark patches of fur around the brown eyes. When the dog caught the Angel's eyes, it woofed and wagged its tail. Castiel blinked in confusion, "Fenrir?"

When the dog barked and appeared to be smiling, Castiel knew it was his and his brother's dog. "How… I thought…" It had been years since he had seen the animal as it had run off chasing a cat, only to be hit by a car. He and Gabriel had been devastated at the loss of their canine friend, and their father had tried his best to console them. But that had been years ago...

Fenrir barked again and spun around, running in the other direction. "Fenrir, come back!" Castiel called out, running after the dog. He was really getting tired of all this running. He almost tripped twice, and succeeded a third time, landing flat on his face. When he looked up, Fenrir was a few yards away, wagging his tail as if to say, "Wanna play?"

Groaning, Castiel got up and the dog ran off again. "Come back!" But he froze when he spotted a door in the middle of the forest. It looked like a bomb shelter, but the door was wide open. He lost sight of Fenrir, glancing in every direction to find the dog. When his gaze returned to the door, he faltered.

Did Fenrir go inside? But that would imply the door had been open already, because there was no way a dog could open a door. Walking forward cautiously, Castiel entered the doorway. Once he was inside the strange shelter, he heard Fenrir bark from behind him. Castiel spun around, spotting the dog standing outside, just before the door slammed shut.

He recognized the door. An Albert Einstein poster hung on it with tape. Glancing around the room, he realized he was in his childhood bedroom. "Dad?" He called out, his voice sounding years younger. A feeling of dread hit him as he remembered the night their father left. That feeling that he did something wrong to make his father angry with him.

Castiel blinked as a bright light burned his eyes. When he opened them again, he realized he was still slumped against the tree where he had rested before he found Fenrir. It had all been a dream.

He stood and began walking, albeit a bit shakily. That dream had stirred up unwanted memories. He supposed his talk with Dean last night may have triggered the dream, or possibly the stress of his entire situation. Forcing the memories away, he continued walking.

It felt like hours before Castiel suddenly found himself at the edge of a forest, the sun high above now that he could see the open sky. Ahead appeared to be some sort of grassland, though he could see no sign of any sort of civilization. When he moved forward, dark figures appeared in front of him. When he spun around, intending to run, he found the tall man behind him.

The look in the man's eyes gave Castiel a chill and his voice sent warning bells off in his mind, "Hello, little Angel. You look like you could use a little company," the man said as he approached, a grin splitting his face.

Castiel gulped.

Dean jolted awake at the sound of a bird cawing in panic. Bobby was already up and pacing around their makeshift camp. "What the hell was that?" The younger man asked, looking around.

"Someone's tripped off the warning sign," Bobby responded as he gathered his gear.

Dean frowned when he couldn't find Castiel. "Where's Cas?" He asked but Bobby paid no mind as he loaded his gun and made sure it was working properly. Dean found the trench coat folded neatly a few feet away and cursed, kneeling down to retrieve it. "Son of a bitch!"

At his exclamation, Bobby turned to the younger man with a raised eyebrow.

"I need a horse, Bobby," Dean said angrily. They made quick work getting back to the stable on the outskirt of the city. As Dean saddled the horse he rode yesterday, he said, "You don't have to come with me, Bobby."

"The hell I don't. You led that Angel to me for a reason. Fate or destiny, whatever. But you'll never find him without my help."

And Dean knew the Hunter was right. The man knew these woods a helluva lot better than Dean did, and had survived for countless years. "I know where he's going," Dean said, thinking of the headstrong Angel and his determination to do things his way. "But yeah, I could use your help."

Bobby nodded and finished saddling his own horse. They took off, heading east towards Lucifer's casino.


	7. Chapter 7

Castiel was forced to follow behind a blonde haired Demon whose name was Lilith. Alistair followed closely behind him, making sure he didn't try to escape. Inside the casino, women were dancing and people seemed to be watching with detached interest. Some people played cards; others were at the slot machines.

The words 'winner' and 'jackpot' reached his ears more than once on the short walk through the main floor. But through the people he could not find Balthazar and that worried him. It wasn't long before Castiel was shoved into a meeting room of sorts. A blond man sat at the far end, at the head of the table, watching with a smile on his face.

"Hello, Castiel. It's a pleasure to meet you," he said and rose, stepping closer and Castiel forced himself not to step back. He had to appear strong. "Now, as I understand it, you have something that belongs to me."

"I'm sorry?" Castiel feigned innocence, though he knew what the man, who had to be Lucifer, was talking about.

"The amulet, Castiel," Lucifer informed. "I know you have it."

"Lucy, Lucy," Alistair said from behind Castiel. "We searched him, but he doesn't appear to have it."

"Then we search him again," Lucifer chimed, grinning. "More thoroughly."

Castiel swallowed the lump in his throat and spoke, "I don't have any amulet."

"Oh, I don't know about that. Where did you hide it?" Lucifer asked as he closed in on the Angel, who tensed and clenched his fists to keep from bolting.

"I told you, I don't know what you're talking about. I've never worn an amulet in my life," Castiel assured in what he hoped was a convincing voice. But apparently it wasn't enough.

"We know Balthazar gave you the necklace, Castiel," Alistair crooned from behind him.

A dawning hit Lucifer, "You walked into this trap on purpose, didn't you? Because you didn't know how to get here." The man smiled as he circled Castiel, only a few inches away. Castiel swallowed tightly.

"You'd only do that, of course, if you'd hidden the amulet first. Somewhere very discreet. Am I right?" When he received no verbal response, Lucifer watched Castiel. The Angel was fidgeting nervously, fingers twisting the hem of his shirt. "You wanted to cut a deal with one of my employees, make your demands and return the amulet only when they've been met. But suddenly, you find yourself face to face with little ol' me, the most powerful man in history, and now you've lost your nerve, haven't you?"

"No," Castiel said after a moment, trying hard to swallow. "I haven't lost my nerve."

A smile erupted from Lucifer's face, pale eyes gleaming, "Well then, little Castiel, what are your demands?"

Castiel looked around the room before speaking in a louder, firm voice, "I want you to free Balthazar Roché and send us both back home," the Angel stared at Lucifer, holding the taller man's gaze. "When we're certain that we're safe, I'll tell you where the amulet is."

"I see. Lilith, go fetch this Balthazar Roché."

Lilith nodded and moved to leave the room, only to find the doors swinging open. Several Demons entered, though Castiel's back was to them. He didn't want to turn around to see who had entered, preferring to keep his eyes on Lucifer. He didn't trust the guy.

A slow grin spread across the man's face. "What a coincidence. It appears that Balthazar Roché was waiting just outside the door. I wonder why."

Castiel's brows furrowed and he slowly turned, even though all logic told him not to. Balthazar stood there, looking handsome as ever and wearing a sleek, charcoal suit. His blond hair was still curly and he looked healthy, unlike the other people he had seen in the casino. "Balthazar!" Castiel exclaimed and stepped closer to him. "Are you okay?"

Balthazar nodded, "I'm fine, what are you doing here?" Castiel had a hard time reading the look on his face.

"We found him running around the forest by his lonesome, so I brought him here. I was very curious to see what sort of filth my son was hanging around with these days."

Castiel's eyes flew to Lucifer in surprise. "Son?" His gaze returned to Balthazar, questioning, but his face was blank.

"Yes, he lied to you, little Angel," Lucifer said gleefully.

"Father," Balthazar said in a neutral tone.

Suddenly angry, Lucifer snapped, "Don't Father me. Your boyfriend has hidden the Amulet of Purgatory out there in the bushes somewhere."

"He's not my boyfriend. He's nothing to me," Balthazar informed, holding Castiel's gaze.

Castiel's mouth dropped, hurt. He whispered, "Balthazar?"

Lucifer either didn't notice the exchange or ignored it as he continued, "Then why did he have the amulet?"

"As I've said a thousand times before, Father, I didn't give it to him. He took it. He was an affair, that's all. Someone to pass the time with while I explored his world. I took the necklace to be certain I would have the power to return. Little did I know he would steal it from me," the tall man looked down at the Angel, a strange look in his eyes that the younger man couldn't decipher. "Castiel, tell us where you hid the amulet."

Castiel gasped at Balthazar's words. He was lying, about everything. "What?"

"I didn't ask you to come here. And I didn't ask you to hide the amulet, so come on, tell everyone where it is."

Castiel's mouth worked as he tried find the words he wanted to say. He wanted to accuse him, yell at him, he was upset. He had gone through all of this and now he was being betrayed? But then a thought occurred to him: Maybe Balthazar was in trouble, still. All of the lies, none of what Balthazar had said was true. So the Angel responded, "I won't tell anyone where it is until you've taken me home."

"That's not a bad idea. If I take him home, you'll be sure to get it back," Balthazar said, turning from Castiel and facing Lucifer. And a sudden wave of relief hit him. Of course Balthazar was on his side. He just couldn't alert Lucifer. Why, he wasn't sure, but at this point, if it meant he and Balthazar would return home, then he was willing to play along.

"Brilliant. The only problem I see is the fact that I wouldn't trust you if you told me the sun was round," Lucifer commented idly and Castiel's stomach dropped. "Besides, we've had to shut the Gate completely. And I'm sure we can win over the little Angel without having to go all the way back to your little world."

The doors opened then and a woman walked in. She was dressed in a forest green dress that revealed more than it hid, tall and thin, with wavy brown hair and hazel eyes. "Ah, Bela, so good of you to join us. Have you nothing to say to your fiancée, Balthazar?"

"What?" Castiel gasped. Everything else, he was sure he could understand once Balthazar explained things. But he didn't think he could take this. He tensed when the woman, Bela, circled him.

"Don't tell me, Balthazar forgot to mention his life-long love, his wildly romantic engagement and upcoming wedding?" Lucifer could barely hold back his amusement as seeing the devastated look on Castiel's face.

"So this is…" Bela asked, standing in front of Castiel with a curious look on her features. She was almost the same height as he and stared directly into his eyes, curiously.

"I'm afraid so," Lucifer responded grimly.

Bela brought a hand to Castiel's face, "Really?" Brushing the hair from the Angel's forehead, the short female continued, "I'm starting to wonder about your taste, Balthazar. If you find him attractive, what do you think of me?" The woman's voice seemed sad, though no expression showed on her beautiful face.

Castiel slapped the woman's hand away, glaring down at Bela. "He thinks you're the most beautiful woman in Purgatory," Lucifer answered lightly. "That's why he's marrying you. You see, Castiel, Balthazar's been engaged for months now. His adventure in your world was only that. An adventure, a way to say goodbye to his mischievous youth. You're going to tell us where you've hidden the amulet and then you're going to wish you've never laid eyes on my son."

"Well, I'd better be off," Balthazar spoke up, stepping towards Castiel and taking his hand in his own. "I forgive you, Castiel and I don't blame you for being angry with me." He pressed something into Castiel's hands while pulling him into a hug, whispering, "He's here." Pulling away, he said in a louder voice, "Goodbye. Bela, if you would?"

And the pair left the room.

Balthazar nearly stopped when he heard his father say, "Take him to the interrogation room." He continued on though, he couldn't give in.

He entered his bedroom, closely followed by Bela. Shutting the door behind her, she demanded, "Who is he, Balthazar?"

He smiled, full lips revealing white teeth, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Jealous?"

"Of course I am," Bela responded immediately, pulling him into her arms.

"Then help get me out of here," Balthazar shifted to gaze down at the brunette.

"You know I can't do that," Bela trailed her fingers along her fiancé's chest. "Maybe if you tell me what you're up to…"

Balthazar looked away, "I'm not up to anything."

"Darling, we really shouldn't have any secrets between us," Bela lifted her chin, intending to kiss him, but he turned his head away. Frowning, the woman backed Balthazar against the bed, his knees hitting and he fell backwards with the brunette straddling his hips. "So, who is this guy?" Bela pulled out a vial from her purse.

Balthazar shook his head when he saw it, but the woman managed to overpower him and forced the liquid down his throat. "Who is Castiel? Tell me everything about him."

"Castiel?" Balthazar asked, a glazed look over his features. Bela nodded, smiling, when Balthazar willingly drank the Honesty brew. "He's innocent."

"Of course he is. So why did you choose him, Balthazar?

"I.." he was finding it difficult to put words together. He knew what he wanted to say, but his mind was so foggy and he could only string a few words together at a time.

"You went there for a reason, didn't you?"

"I needed him…" he managed after a long moment.

"For what, Balthazar?" Before Balthazar could say another word, Lilith stormed into the room, clearing her throat. "What?" Bela demanded angrily.

"Lucifer wants to see you," Lilith informed before exiting the room. Bela groaned in frustration, pushing away from Balthazar.

"I almost had it, you idiot," Bela glowered at Lilith as she shut the door behind her, locking it. Balthazar remained on the bed in a daze.

Bela stood in front of Lucifer in the private study. Lilith was off to the side, ever present. "You've had Balthazar in your clutches for two days now. Why haven't I seen results?" Lucifer demanded. "The whole point of having the ungrateful child marry you is so that I can keep an eye on him. If you can't handle him, I'll marry him to someone who can."

"I just need a bit more uninterrupted time with him," Bela glared at Lilith before continuing, "Your son has a strong heart. If I didn't know any better, I would think he'd gone and fell in love with the Angel."

"No, there's a reason he singled him out," Lucifer tapped his chin thoughtfully. "He wouldn't have spent so much time wooing him unless he was useful. I'm certain of it. You have until morning, Bela."

oooooo

Castiel followed Lilith quietly. There were several Demons surrounding him and he had no way of escape. Once they were walking through the casino, Castiel glanced at the object that Balthazar had given him. It was a watch, silver, old and worn, but the Angel knew exactly where it had come from. "Dad?" He glanced around the casino, looking for his father, but could not find him.

He was shoved into an empty room, not long later, shackled to a wall. It was utterly silent. Everything Balthazar had said back there, it had all been a lie. It felt like everything they had, had been a lie. Castiel knew that, in a way, he was trying to help him, while not alerting Lucifer. But the fact that he was engaged? Had lied about their relationship too?

Before he could dwell further on the thought, Alistair entered the room, a strange light gleaming in his dark eyes. "Hello, little Angel. It's my job to open your mind," he said, running a finger down his chest. Castiel tensed and Alistair frowned.

"I want you to relax, Castiel. Listen to the sound of my voice," he spoke and Castiel found himself nodding along, eyes drooping. "Now, sleep." Castiel's head fell forward and when he woke, he was in his bedroom. _"How old are you?"_ The man's voice echoed in his mind.

Sleepily, Castiel responded, "Twelve." His voice was soft, quiet.

" _But you're alone. Why?"_

Castiel shifted, looking around. "Dad's left. Gabriel's asking the neighbor to babysit so he can go look for him." He was sitting on the edge of his bed, staring out the closed door. The Einstein poster was peeling off in the top corner.

" _Did he say goodbye?"_

Weakly, he said, "No." He looked down at his hands, wishing he could see his father. He wanted to tell him he was sorry, he'd be a good son if he came back.

" _Why don't you see if he's left you something in his study?"_

"No," his voice was stronger this time, but fear evident.

" _Why not?"_

"I'm scared to go in there," Castiel whispered, as though he wasn't supposed to talk about it. Father never let him inside the room. Castiel knew many nights, he would be working in the study until early morning. Father's work was important and Castiel shouldn't go in there. Even Gabriel wasn't allowed in there.

" _Nonsense."_

Feeling a sudden strength inside him, Castiel walked down the hallway and stopped in front of the door that led to his father's office. It was dark inside, shelves lining the walls. When he reached the middle, a light turned on in the room and the door slammed shut. The floor began falling away around him and soon all that was left was a single wooden plank that Castiel kneeled on, clutching tightly.

The rest of the floor fell into an empty void, dark and endless. "T-this isn't happening," Castiel gasped as he gripped the plank tighter, trying not to shift. "It's all in my head! It's just a dream!" He took a deep breath and stood. "I just have to wake up." He took a cautious step forward, and felt the ground give way.

With a panicked scream, he reached for the plank as he fell, dangling above the void. "It's real?" He gasped in confusion.

" _Of course it's real,"_ came Alistair's voice in his head.

"But I'll die!"

" _Mostly likely."_

"B-but don't you want to know where I've hidden the amulet?" He cried, trying to get a better grip on the board, body swaying slightly as he moved.

" _Not really. This is much more fun."_

"Are you crazy?"

" _Cynically insane."_

Castiel swung his legs up, managing with effort to climb back on top of the board. He straddled it, clutching tightly and breathing hard. "If you kill me, Lucifer won't get the amulet," Castiel tried to bargain, his heart pounding wildly in his chest.

" _So tell me where it is?_

"Not until you get me out of here."

" _If you don't tell me, I may as well kill you. Of course, we'll have much more fun before I get to that, though. And I'll have to tell Lucifer it was an accident. It happens all the time."_

Castiel tightened his grip, knuckles going white. He tried to calm his breathing.

" _The board is holding him up,"_ Alistair's voice seemed thoughtful. _"What would happen if disappeared, I wonder?"_

Castiel cried out as the board began dissolving. He scooted back as it continued melt away. "Stop!"

" _I'm awfully sorry, Lucifer. But the boy just wouldn't cooperate,"_ Alistair spoke with a laugh in his voice. Castiel kept scooting until his back hit the wall and he was forced to stand. There were only a few inches of the board left _. "I tried everything, you see, even shoved him inside his deepest, darkest fear."_

"W-wait," Castiel gasped. "I'll tell you where it is."

" _You better be quick. It has a mind of its own,"_ Alistair laughed.


	8. Chapter 8

Dean knocked on the door to the casino, Bobby standing beside him. When they were greeted by a Demon, Dean smiled. "How's it going?"

"Who the hell are you?" The Demon asked with a blank face.

Dean shook his head, sighing. "We're part of the show, the one Lucifer asked for?" At the doubtful look on the Demon's face, Dean pulled out his gun. Making sure the safety was on, he twirled it around his fingers, throwing it in the air and catching it smoothly before tossing it around a few times, never missing a beat. He held the gun out and grinned, "Ta-da!"

Before the Demon could ask for clearance, Dean grabbed him by the collar, shooting him with the gun. "Well, that's one way to break in," Bobby commented as they stepped over his body.

The two entered the casino through the employee entrance, looking around. When a few employees passed, Dean smiled at them in greeting, "Hello, ladies." They giggled and continued walking their way, whispering and shooting glances over their shoulders.

"We should split up," Dean said as they walked down the hallway.

Bobby frowned, "Why?"

"Because we don't know where he is," Dean said as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"We're in Lucifer's casino and you think splitting up is a wise idea? I don't think so, boy. Let's go," Bobby replied gruffly and stalked forward, Dean groaning and following. The hallways twisted and turned as they continued on, up a flight of stairs or two before Bobby came to a sudden stop. "Does this look like someone's house to you?"

Dean shrugged, looking at the walls. There were pictures hanging, several of two young children. He took a step closer to one, noticing a young, dark haired boy with bright blue eyes. "Cas?" He mumbled in disbelief. He spun around, looking for a door, any door. He found one at the end of the hall and flung it open.

He about fell forward from the momentum, the floor missing. But his eyes widened when he saw Castiel at the other side of the room, staring back in equal surprise. "Dean?" His voice was soft, like he didn't quite believe he was real.

Dean took a cursory glance around the room. Castiel was standing on a couple inches of a wooden plank, all the remained of the floor. His back was pressed solidly against the wall and fear was carved on his face. "Cas, you have to jump."

"No, I can't, I'll fall," was the scared reply, eyes shut tightly, jaw clenched and breathing heavily.

"Look at me, Cas," Dean said in a firm voice, holding out his hand. When those blue eyes finally found his, Dean nodded. "Trust me."

Castiel gulped and after a long moment, he nodded. Taking a deep breath, he lunged, reaching for Dean. They collapsed to the ground, Castiel clutching Dean tightly and whispering words of thanks breathlessly. "It's okay, I've got you."

"H-how did you find me?" Castiel asked when they stood and Dean motioned to Bobby.

"Believe it or not, but we're inside your head, boy," Bobby was tapping along the wall. He looked crazy and both Dean and Castiel raised their eyebrows until a hidden door swung open. They ran from the room then, down another hallway. Dean led the way, down a flight of stairs. They could hear Demons following and they darted into an elevator. The doors closed at the last minute and Dean pressed a button.

"Why up?" Castiel asked, confused. He thought they were escaping, so why were they going further into the casino?

"Do we have a choice?"

"You shouldn't have come," Castiel said after a long moment. "You could get killed."

"Did you give the amulet to them?"

And the anger that Castiel had felt before he left Dean in the wood returned. "Look, I have things under control," he informed tensely, jaw tight.

"You tried to cut a deal with Lucifer, didn't you?"

"I was getting close!" The Angel said quickly, crossing his arms.

"What does that mean? Maybe I'm wrong, but the negotiations didn't appear to be going so well."

Castiel groaned, "I need more time."

"For what? Do you really think Lucifer's just gonna send you and your boyfriend home?"

"No…" Castiel spoke after a long moment, looking forlorn.

"No, of course not!" Dean yelled, cutting Castiel off.

"Because he's his son," Castiel said quietly, not looking at Dean. The sound of their breathing was the only thing they heard for a moment.

"Balthazar's the prince? The _Prince_ is your boyfriend?" Dean questioned in shock. The elevator dinged then and the doors slid open. There were two Demons standing a few paces away, ready to fight. Dean growled in frustration, pulling his gun and shooting them both in quick succession. He felt a bit better after killing the Demons, but only slightly.

"What now?" Castiel asked, looking around. They were on the roof of the casino, with nowhere to go.

Dean looked around, spotting a lone Dragon. "We hijack the Dragon," he said with a grin, ignoring the irritation he felt. He'd always wanted to do that. They climbed aboard and Dean took control, starting the engines. The Dragon roared to life and lifted off the ground and away from the casino.

The sound of guns pierced the air. They didn't make it very far when the entire vehicle shook. "Son of a bitch!" Dean yelled as the engines began failing.

"We have to jump!" Bobby hollered over the noise. He swung the emergency door open and leapt into the lake below.

Dean didn't even give Castiel a chance to refuse. He wrapped an arm around the smaller man's waist and pulled him close. Holding on tightly to the Angel, he jumped into the lake below.

They broke surface not a minute later, coughing and sputtering. Castiel was angry and terrified, but knew that Dean had just saved his life. They swam for shore, looking around for Bobby once they reached the sand.

"There should be tracks," Dean said, searching the ground.

"Bobby!" Castiel called out as they walked down the beach.

"We have to keep going. We're sitting ducks on the beach," Dean said when they received no responding shout. "Is the amulet safe?"

Castiel growled in frustration, "Is that all you think about? Yes, it's safe." He stopped in his tracks, facing Dean.

Dean looked just as angry, "What, you don't trust me? After I just risked my life to save you?"

"Why did you?" Castiel countered hotly, narrowing his eyes, staring up at the taller man.

Dean frowned, "You're really ungrateful, you know that?"

The Angel sighed, but didn't lose the anger in his voice. "Look, I know you're trying to save your people and the amulet might make all the difference."

"Is that why you think I did this? So I could get my hands on the amulet?" Dean said with disgust.

"I respect that, it shows that you're a righteous man, after all. But first, I need to use it to get my father out," Castiel finished quietly, glancing away.

Dean paused. He remembered the Angel telling him about how his father had gone missing years ago. It was possible that the man had been taken from their world, but it seemed quite a stretch that he would still be alive after all this time, especially with how Lucifer was. "You're father?"

"He's here. Balthazar slipped me his watch," he pulled the silver watch from his pocket and showed Dean. He glanced at it, turned it over. Engraved on the back were the letters C.S. "Charles Shurley. He's in the casino somewhere," Castiel smiled hopefully.

"He's lying," Dean said after a long moment. "Lucifer and his people lie, Cas. How can you believe Balthazar? He's lied to you about who he is."

"He had his reasons," Castiel returned quickly. Dean's words hurt; of course he knew Balthazar was lying about many things. But the watch, his father, that couldn't be a lie. He had to believe the man about that.

"Why are you even defending him?" Dean stalked away in anger and Castiel followed quickly to catch up.

"He's trying to help me," he said insistently, mostly trying to assure himself.

"Really? Because from my standpoint, he's made you a target, Cas. He took the amulet from his father and gave it to you."

"H-he wasn't expecting me to follow. I screwed up by bringing the amulet here," Castiel informed weakly. But it was true. If he hadn't followed, then Lucifer wouldn't ever have the amulet and then the resistance would have been able to fight back.

"And he blames you for that?" Dean scoffed. It wasn't the Angel's fault that he was trying to help his boyfriend. The Prince lied to him, led him on. To Dean, it was clear whose fault it was.

"No. I don't think so," Castiel said with uncertainty.

"Why would he go around pretending to be someone else?"

"He's hiding from them."

"Why?"

"I don't know!" Castiel screamed, at his wits end. Dean looked away for a moment. Castiel continued in a soft voice, "He's engaged." He wasn't sure why he said it. But he had to get it off his chest.

"So he's two-timing you?" Dean huffed in annoyance.

"I… I don't think..."

"And now, all of a sudden, he tells you that your father has been in the casino all this time? Doesn't that seem a bit fishy?" Dean pressed and Castiel frowned, tilting his head. "It's not a coincidence, Cas."

"Would you idjits keep it down? I'm trying to sleep!" Came a voice.

They both smiled, "He's alive," Dean said with shock.

They found Bobby a few yards away, basking in the sun. "Thank goodness," Castiel breathed with relief. "Are you okay?"

"Of course I am," was his gruff reply. "I'm a Hunter."

"Well, good," Dean said. "Now that we've found you, it's time to get off this beach."

"No," Castiel said. "I'm grateful for what you guys did, getting me out of the casino. But I have to go back."

"Why are you so hooked on Balthazar?" Dean asked, desperation breaking through.

"Because he's trying to help me."

"Don't you realize he's using you?"

"And you're not?" Castiel argued, anger and sadness in his eyes.

Dean was shocked, by the look in the Angel's eyes and his words. "Don't you care what's happening here? Those people in the resistance, being controlled by Lucifer?"

"Of course I do. I'm one of them," Castiel relented.

"Then give the resistance a chance," Dean pleaded, hoping he would see sense.

Castiel shook his thought at the memory of Crowley, "I've met those guys and I don't want anything to do with them."

"That was one branch, Cas. If we get to the top man, he'll help us."

"You know him?"

"No, not exactly. Nobody knows his true identity, but he goes by a code name, Gardener. Give me a few hours and I'll slip back into the city and I'll make contact. You can stay with Bobby, in the Hunter's city. You'll be safe there."

Bobby nodded in agreement and Dean continued, a strange look on his face that Castiel couldn't identify, "If I'm not back by nightfall, do it your way."

oooooo

Alistair sauntered into Lucifer's study. He had a wide grin on his face. "I've discovered the location of the amulet," he announced and Lucifer stood.

"Oh? Well, where is it?" He demanded impatiently.

"It is in locker 263 of the University Hall Building, on the campus of—"

"So you mean to tell me he's left it in his world?" Lucifer cut the man off angrily. "Bring him to me!" Alistair faltered and Lilith tensed. Noticing this, Lucifer narrowed his eyes and stormed towards them. "What have you done?" He questioned in a low tone.

"He sort of escaped," Lilith replied quietly. "There was a team that broke through our forces, overwhelming the Demons. They fled in the old Dragon from the roof."

Lucifer took a deep breath, "Find him. Bring him back if he's still alive. In the meantime, summon Balthazar so I can ask him about this University." At the look on Lilith's face, Lucifer groaned, "What now?"

Another Demon spoke, "Um, well, you see, Balthazar appears to have disappeared."

"Is everyone here incompetent?" Lucifer bellowed. "Get him out of here! And Alistair, I want you to find them."


	9. Chapter 9

Dean found his smuggling boat where he left it, still in good shape, "Aw baby, it's good to see you." He grinned as he pushed it into the water before hopping in and starting the engine. The roar to life was satisfying and he smiled before pulling away from the shore. It didn't take long to return to the city and it was almost ridiculously easy to sneak in. The Demons still believed them to be in the forest.

He found Ash walking along a path and pulled the mullet-haired man into the alley. "Dude, what the hell?" Ash struggled but when he realized who it was he stopped. "Dean, my man! What the hell's goin' on?"

"I need you to get a message to Gardener," Dean said.

Ash crossed his arms over his chest. "What makes you think I can do that?" He chuckled, ignoring the urgent look on Dean's face.

Groaning, Dean relented, "Because you're a genius and a badass and you need to hurry because I haven't got much time."

Shrugging, Ash responded, "Crowley's the only one I know that's in the resistance. Not even sure if Gardener exists. Probably some mythical figure made up to keep us all treading the water." He waved his hand in the air dismissively at the idea of Gardener.

Dean was losing his patience, what little he had. "Then you tell Crowley to get a message to him, then. 'We still have what they want. We're ready to make a deal.' Got it?" When Ash nodded, Dean grinned and left. He still had a few more things he needed to take care of while he waited until he heard word from the resistance.

ooooo

Castiel sat on the ground in their camp eating the meat that Bobby had cooked from hunting. He was fairly certain it was a rabbit, but at this point, he didn't question it. If he knew, then he was sure his stomach would roll. He had been hungry and didn't care to go over the finer details of what he was eating. When he finished, he thanked Bobby quietly and retreated, leaning against a tree and staring at his father's watch.

The fire was going and the crackling was the only thing that could be heard. Even the forest seemed quiet. "How old were you when your father disappeared?" Bobby broke the silence.

Castiel looked to the older man before glancing down at the watch. "I was twelve," he answered quietly. He could never forget the day his father left.

"Must have been quite a shock."

Castiel smiled softly, "You know how kids are. They blame themselves for things like that." He glanced up, noticing the lost look on the Hunter's features. "Are you okay?"

Bobby didn't speak for awhile. Castiel looked back at the watch, tracing his fingers over the engraved letters. He had almost forgotten that he had said anything when the Hunter finally spoke, "I was that age, once. When the armies came. I was an apprentice to the greatest Hunter Purgatory had ever seen," Bobby told, gazing up at the sky. There was a sad smile on his face and Castiel could tell how proud he was of the memory.

But his expression turned bitter when he continued, "When it mattered and I was needed most, I lost my nerve and ran. Hid for three days and when I came out, everyone was dead. Even Michael."

Castiel's brows furrowed as Bobby's words flowed. He could see the pain on the older man's face, clear as day. "At first I wished I died with them. But after awhile, a deeper feeling took over. I wanted to avenge them. So I stole the Hunter's weapons and I waited for the right time. When you showed up, I knew it was time, after all these years."

Castiel bit his lip and turned away, not able to look the man in the eyes. Bobby was depending on him and it tore the Angel up. How could someone have so much faith in him? He was just an awkward college student. He had no idea how he was supposed to help anyone, let alone take down the supposed King of Purgatory.

His grip tightened on the watch as he stood softly. Bobby didn't even bat an eye, too lost in his memories to notice. Castiel walked until he was standing on the top of the hill, overlooking the city. His stomach knotted almost painfully and his fists clenched at his side. He could only imagine how beautiful the city must have been in its prime. He knew he should try to do something more, because Dean and Bobby and his father and _everyone_ in Purgatory were depending on his decisions and what he did with the amulet.

The sky began to lighten as dawn approached. Was Dean not coming back? God, he didn't think he could do this without him. Dean had been there from the beginning, helping him even if it was only because of the amulet. He had been a constant in Castiel's life since coming to Purgatory and the Angel wasn't too proud to admit that he needed the man.

Especially if things turned south and he couldn't go home. He thought of Gabriel and his fists tightened. First their father had left him, and now Castiel. That thought sent a burning resolve through him. He would try everything he could to get home.

Bobby had dozed off, leaning against a tree for support. He jerked awake when someone called his name. "You're supposed to be looking after Cas," Dean's voice was hard. "Where is he?"

Bobby shrugged his shoulders, "Beats me. He was here not more'n a few minutes ago. Probably went to clear his head."

Dean groaned and left the camp. The last time Castiel had disappeared, he had been taken to Lucifer in the casino. They didn't need that right now. He thankfully found Castiel not too far away, on a hill with his back to him. Castiel heard him approaching and turned to face him. He had the trench coat on again, to fight the chill of the air.

"Good news," Dean said as he stepped closer to the Angel. "The resistance wants to help. They're sending a special agent who will take us to see Gardener." Dean smiled, but when Castiel didn't speak, his mood fell. "You okay?"

Castiel nodded and smiled softly then. His words were uncertain, "I was beginning to think you weren't coming back."

"You still don't trust me?" Dean couldn't fight the hurt that echoed in his words.

The Angel avoided the question, "How soon until he gets here?"

"Those guys can move pretty fast when they need to," Dean said, looking around. He gazed at the city and Castiel continued to watch the taller man, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"You're going to join them," he said quietly. "Fight alongside them."

Dean sighed. "I have to try. Like Crowley said, I've lived my life playing both sides of the court," he met Castiel's worried gaze. "It was the only way I could stay alive. Made the Demons think I was working for them at The Roadhouse while I fed their enemies. But those days are over," he said confidently.

They made their way back to camp, neither saying a word. "You're awfully quiet," Dean commented.

After a long pause, Castiel inquired, "What will I do if I get stuck here?"

The raw emotion on the Angel's face made Dean's heart skip a beat. He knew he would protect Castiel with his life if it came down to that. But it seemed like he was unable to relay that, as everything he tried seemed to upset the Angel. "Then I'll make sure you're okay," he cupped the man's cheek, leaning forward.

Castiel closed his eyes as he felt the other man's breath on his face. He swayed into the loose embrace, tilting his head slightly.

"Hello, Castiel," a voice broke the moment and both Castiel and Dean jumped away, turning to see who had interrupted them. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Dean stared at the blond haired man, stepping in front of Castiel to shield the smaller man. They spotted Bobby tied to a tree just behind the man. Dean pulled out his gun, taking several steps forward towards him, the gun trained on his forehead.

The man smirked as he noticed the weapon, "Oh look, a toy. You think you can fight me?"

"I'm not an old man," Dean said, clicking the safety off.

The blond waved a hand dismissively and the gun went flying, landing several yards away. Dean cursed but didn't go to retrieve it. Instead, he tightened his fists, ready for a fight if it came down to that.

"Now what are you gonna do, big boy?"

 **B** efore Dean could say anything, Castiel stepped between them. "Enough with the fighting!" He demanded in a firm tone. He glanced between Dean and Balthazar, giving them each a glare.

"Who's your friend?" Balthazar asked lightly, unconcerned by the threatening glare from either man.

Castiel pursed his lips, unsure what Dean was to him. He said slowly, "He's just a friend."

"You looked pretty cozy a second ago. You sure about that?"

Castiel blinked in surprise. "Are you jealous, Balthazar?" he asked.

"A little," the blond relented, expression somber.

The Angel almost scoffed at Balthazar's response. "Are you serious? The guy who's engaged to that Bela woman is jealous about me?"

"You know that was an act," Balthazar said in a low voice, taking a step closer to Castiel.

Castiel stepped back. "No, Balthazar. I don't," he responded, searching Balthazar's face for any sign or clue as to what he was really feeling.

He turned away, "C'mon, Castiel, I've brought a horse. We have to get out of here."

"He's not going anywhere with you," Dean moved to stand by Castiel defensively. Even if he didn't have a gun, he sure knew his way around a fight. And he'd be damned if he let this guy take Castiel away.

"He can't stay here," Balthazar said exasperatedly, glaring at Dean as though he were some insect.

"Stop it, both of you," Castiel raised his voice. "I need to know about my dad," he whispered to Dean before moving towards Balthazar. "Is he here?"

"Yes, he's alive and well and if you let me, I'll take you to him," the tall man tried to persuade.

Dean shook his head but Castiel asked, "Really? Where is he?"

"We don't have much time. We're moving him into the city. If we hurry, you can see him by nightfall."

Castiel glared, "What do you mean, moving him?"

"I have people helping me," Balthazar informed lightly.

"What people?" Dean interrupted but Balthazar just ignored him.

Beginning to grow impatient, Balthazar said, "Do you want to see him or not?"

Dean pulled the Angel aside. Once they were out of earshot, he pleaded, "Don't tell me you trust him, Cas."

"He knows where my dad is," Castiel responded softly.

Dean searched those blue eyes, hoping that Castiel wouldn't go with the other man, "He'll say anything to get his hands on the amulet."

"No, he hasn't asked for the amulet. He doesn't want the amulet, do you, Balthazar?" the last part of his question was spoken loud enough so that Balthazar could hear and Castiel turned to look at the man.

"Yes, I do," he said tensely and Castiel's face fell. Balthazar continued, "We need it to get you home, the Gate won't work without it."

"Don't listen to him, Cas. He's working with his father."

"Then why am I alone?" Balthazar glared at Dean, angrily. "Why aren't there a dozen Demons at my back? And how did I find you here, in the middle of the forest? Do you think I just followed my nose? I'm good, but not that good."

"How did you find us?" Dean eyed him wearily.

Balthazar gave him a duh look, "You sent for me. I'm the agent who's supposed to take you to Gardener."

His words surprised Dean. He hadn't thought that Lucifer's own son would be part of the resistance. But then a niggling feeling started to get to him. This could all be some elaborate plot to get the amulet.

"You know Gardener?" Castiel interjected.

"Very well. Gardener recruited me into the resistance. So I stole the amulet and escaped to your world. It was supposed to trigger a coup. Unfortunately, well, you saw what happened. But if you give us back the amulet, we can give it another try."

"You want to overthrow your father?" Dean questioned uncertainly.

"I've seen what he's done close up and I know better than anyone that if he isn't stopped, he'll destroy Purgatory," he informed before turning his attention to Castiel. "So who are you going to trust to get you and your father back home?" Balthazar stepped close to Castiel, gazing down at him. He brought a hand to the Angel's shoulder, resting it there gently. "A resistance insider and future King who's already scheduled your return trip through the Gate, who cares for you more than anyone else in the world, or this man?" He sneered at Dean.

Dean could feel his heart clenching at the man's words, knowing that Castiel believed him. He sighed and stepped away, trying his best to avoid the Angel's gaze.

Balthazar continued softly, "Where's the amulet, Castiel?"

Castiel didn't speak for a moment, trying to find the right words. "It's where it belongs," he said, turning to look at the crumbling stone seat that had once been the throne. The amulet lay on the seat and Balthazar let out a triumphant sound as he moved to scoop it up.

"I wish you all the luck in the world, Cas," Dean said quietly.

Castiel's brows furrowed, "You're coming with us, Dean."

"I don't think I figure in the future king's plans," Dean huffed and Castiel turned to look at Balthazar.

"He's coming with us," his words were meant to be a statement, but it came out sounding more like a question.

"Gardener was very clear," Balthazar said as he slipped the amulet into his pocket. "The resistance will only help you on their terms. You must come alone."

"But Dean stood by me," Castiel insisted. He wanted Dean there, he didn't want to do this without him.

"It's for your own safety and for your father's."

"Hey," Dean said, pulling Castiel close, whispering low in the man's ear. "I wouldn't want go with this dick anyway."

Castiel blinked, "What will you do?"

"Me? Are you kidding?" Dean smiled, not quite reaching his eyes. "I'll be fine. Believe me, you're better off with this guy. Go," Dean nodded and turned away. Castiel watched him, feeling as though his world was ending.

Dean stood next to Bobby on the hill, watching as Castiel and Balthazar rode away from the city. "He's in safe hands," Dean assured Bobby, but the Hunter knew he was saying it to convince himself.


	10. Chapter 10

Castiel shifted uncomfortably in the saddle. He was grateful that the horse seemed to know to just follow Balthazar's because he was certain that he would have the horse running into trees if he were forced to navigate.

They stopped at a river to let the animals drink and Castiel watched Balthazar cautiously. "So who's Bela?" He asked, words stiff.

Balthazar sighed and faced the Angel. "She's an arrangement my father made. I have no feelings for her." When Castiel said nothing, Balthazar assured, "My heart belongs to you, Castiel. Completely. You believe that, don't you?"

Castiel wasn't sure what he believed any more. If truth be told, he wanted Dean there, beside him. The man had become, despite their arguments, a steady and comforting presence to the Angel. But he smiled at Balthazar, not sure if he trusted his voice.

"Let's get moving," he said a moment later, staring out at the open field critically, and mounted his horse. Castiel followed suit, although not quite as gracefully.

Dean watched from his horse as Castiel and Balthazar continued on through the field. "You're following them," Bobby's voice came from behind. Dean shook his head and the older man grunted, "Don't you shake your head at me, boy."

"Come on, then," Dean kicked the horse into a trot and called over his shoulder, "Try to keep up, yeah?" He almost laughed when he heard the mumbled 'idjit.'

Castiel and Balthazar made it to the city before sundown. They followed a path, Balthazar murmuring "this way," every now and then. Eventually they stopped in front of a large building. Castiel looked up and the building seemed to loom over them. "What is this place?"

"It's the hospital. Keep close," Balthazar answered and they walked inside. The main room was large and empty, save for a single desk in the middle. Balthazar stopped in front of the desk, waiting for the receptionist to notice them.

"He's on the third floor," she said after a moment and Balthazar nodded, tugging Castiel along.

Soft screams echoed along the walls and Castiel tensed, "What was that?"

"The inmates," he responded. "Try not to let it get to you. They can drive you mad. Now, Gardener may seem odd to you, but believe me, we're among friends."

With that, they walked through a pair of doors into another empty room. A man stood with his back to them, arms crossed at his back. He was dark-skinned and wore light brown pants with a red shirt. He had a graying beard and gentle eyes, and his voice was just as gentle when he spoke, "You have the amulet?"

Balthazar responded, pulling the amulet from his pocket but the man stopped him. "Should the time come, I must be able to swear under oath that I've never laid eyes on it."

"Ask the Angel to come closer," the man continued and Castiel stepped forward, reluctantly. When they stood just a few feet from him, the man said, "Not as tall as I imagined. Are you scared?" Castiel nodded slightly and the man pursed his lips together. "When did you last see your father?"

"It's been ten years."

"Such a long time ago."

"Where is he?" Castiel ventured.

"Your father is a very difficult man to reach. We've been tracking him for a long time, but never got close enough to pop the question. Never once. And do you know what it is that we want to ask him? Care to hazard a little guess?"

"No," Castiel was confused. What did his father have to do with the resistance?

"You, little Angel."

"What do you mean?"

"When you first met Balthazar, did you think that it was a happy accident?"

Castiel spared a glance to Balthazar, "Wasn't it?" He asked uncertainly.

The Gardener led them from the room and down a hallway. "You Angels and your emotions, they have such a strong sway on our frail senses. The effects are devastating." They took a sharp left and stopped for a moment.

"This patient here," he indicated the woman in the room to their left. She was suspended in air, but appeared to be falling at the same time. "She couldn't get the precious high of… flying high out of her system, so we're bringing her back down to earth in a controlled environment."

They moved to another room, where a giant of a man was cramped inside the room. "He drank too much Self-Importance, so we're shrinking his considerable ego, little by little, back to his original size."

The trio continued moving down the hallway and Gardener continued on, "We're all vulnerable. Mix the wrong feelings together, the right kind of bad with the wrong kind of good, and you'll wind up with a total breakdown."

They stepped outside, into a garden, where the sunlight streamed brightly through the haze of the city. "The Angels are contaminating our world. They must go back, dead or alive, before it's too late."

"What does my father have to do with that?" Castiel interjected.

Gardener turned to stare at Castiel, brown eyes old as though they have seen everything. "He's the only one who can release them. Our undercover operatives smuggled him here earlier today. It's the most dangerous operation we've ever mounted. They're brave men, but I must warn you, he's not the same person you knew as a child."

Castiel shook his head, "What do you mean?"

"He's, how can I put it? Stuck. We're hoping you can help clear away his cobwebs." Gardener turned away, leaving Castiel with Balthazar.

"I don't understand," Castiel began.

"I came to your world to find you, Castiel, because we need your help," Balthazar told with a neutral face. Castiel turned to face him with disbelief in his eyes.

"So everything that we had was about my dad?" He accused, angrily. Dean had been right about him all along. How could Castiel have been so ignorant?

"You have to understand, your father holds the key to our future," Balthazar said quickly.

Castiel rubbed his face. "I don't believe this. You've been lying to me this entire time?"

Gardener then spoke, "Would you have believed him if he told the truth?"

The Angel snapped, "I don't know, maybe!"

"You're right, I should have been more honest, but I can't turn back the clock," Balthazar confessed. "Please, Castiel. Will you help us? Our world depends on it."

He paused before saying anything. He may have been upset with Balthazar for leading him on, but that was no reason to take his anger out on the entire world. After all, the man was just trying to stop his crazy father.

Castiel let the two lead him inside another building and out of the sunlight. He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, gasping when he saw his father standing in the middle of the room. He looked the same as the day he disappeared all those years ago. Scruffy beard, blue eyes, messy brown hair. "Dad?"

"Who's this?" Chuck demanded.

His words were like a stab to the heart, "It's me, Dad," Castiel stepped closer to his father, blue eyes locked, one pair confused and searching, the other annoyed and angry.

"Another one of your tricks, Balthazar?" Chuck continued angrily.

"Don't you recognize your own son?" Gardener said slowly from Castiel's left.

Chuck scoffed, "Son?" He laughed at the thought. He had been working for Lucifer for as long as he could remember. And he certainly had no son, especially one that was fully grown. The idea was crazy! He had no time for kids.

Taking a deep breath, Castiel began softly, "You left when I was a kid."

"The Demons kidnapped you many years ago," Gardener informed. "The doctors adjusted you to work in the laboratory."

"We missed you, so much," Castiel continued, taking a step closer to his dad. "Gabriel tries not to show it, but," his voice was trembling as he spoke.

"Gabriel?" Chuck blinked as the name. For some reason, it sounded familiar.

"My brother, your oldest son," Castiel said in shock. How was it possible that his father didn't remember? It had been awhile since he had seen Castiel, and sure, he was an adult now, but still.

Chuck laughed weakly, eyes darting from Castiel to Balthazar, then to Gardener. "You really think this charade is going to turn me against Lucifer?"

"Don't you remember anything?" Castiel questioned, eyes wide.

"I remember my work at the institute, bioreductive enzymes, chemicially-induced synethesia," Chuck continued on but Castiel cut him off.

"What about your family?" Castiel tried.

Chuck froze as he tried to remember. "I live alone in an apartment," he said slowly. Then, with anger, "What is the point of all this?"

"Coffee and toast, with apple butter," Castiel said and Chuck frowned. "It's what you like for breakfast. And on Sundays, sometimes we would go to that brunch place in Pontiac, and we would throw bread to the ducks after," Castiel smiled at the memory, watching his father's face for a sign, any sign of recognition.

"Your father," Chuck said softly, looking down, "will be very upset when he hears about this, Balthazar."

Castiel fought the panic, "You don't even know who I am." When he received no response, Castiel couldn't help it. A few tears slid down his cheeks in defeat.

"Don't cry, Cassy," Chuck sighed after a moment, then looked up in confusion. He had no idea where the name came from and Castiel met his gaze with hope.

"That's what you used to call me," Castiel said, blinking away the tears. "And when Fenrir died, you held me and Gabe in your arms for a whole hour, remember? Rocking us?" When Chuck remained quiet, Castiel pulled the watch from his pocket and held it so Chuck could see. "Remember this?"

"What is it?" Chuck asked curiously.

"It's your watch. You always wore it."

"I've never worn a watch," Chuck insisted. "We don't need them here."

"It's broken, but it never really kept good time anyway. But you didn't seem to mind," Castiel continued, smiling at his father. He slid the watch over Chuck's hand, latching it around his wrist. "There."

"There they are! Don't move!" A Demon shouted as several stormed the room. Chuck, moving out of instinct, pulled Castiel behind him.

"I'm a little disappointed," a familiar, cold voice said that sent chills down Castiel's spine. Alistair. "I expected a bit more of a struggle." He looked around, frowning. "Where's Dean?"

"I don't know," Castiel said honestly.

"You alright?" Lilith asked Chuck as she stepped forward.

"They kidnapped me. Tried to turn me against Lucifer," Chuck breathed, eyes hard, "with some story about being this guy's father."

Castiel's heart sank and he stepped away from Chuck numbly. Lilith sauntered to Balthazar, a smirk on the Demon's face. "You'll break your father's heart."

"As if you care," Balthazar responded testily.

"Not really, just thought I should mention it," Lilith shrugged and stepped over to Gardener. "Well, well, well. The mysterious Gardener. Apprehended at least. You realize this brings an end to the resistance. Finally, and forever."

Gardener merely smiled before a suddenly vines entangled his form completely. They turned to dust and when the air cleared, he was gone. Lilith growled in frustration before leading Balthazar and Castiel from the hospital. Alistair brought up the rear.

Dean and Bobby watched from around the corner. "Balls," Bobby grunted and Dean took a deep breath.

"Okay," the younger man said. "I know there's a lot of Demons out there, but if we let them get to the casino, there's gonna be a whole lot more. We have to take them now."

"Are you serious?" Bobby questioned with disbelief.

Dean turned to stare at the older man, "Yeah. We've got surprise on our side, and we've got horses. Now, if I go in swinging, that might give you just enough time to get in there, grab Cas, and gallop away."

"Well then, you'll be needing this," Bobby pulled the machete from the holster at his hip, handing it to Dean. He nodded and they both mounted their horses.

"Ready?" Dean questioned, but didn't bother waiting for a response. He kicked the horse and galloped towards the Demons, taking a few down with the blade.

"Dean!" He heard Castiel yell in surprise, but continued his attack. The Demons, stunned, went down fairly easily, but there were half a dozen more to replace them. They pulled him from the horse, tackling him to the ground. "Get off him!" Castiel shouted, fighting against the Demons that held him.

"What a nice surprise," Alistair approached, gazing down at Dean with a twisted look in his eyes. "Chain him up, let's head out!"


	11. Chapter 11

Lilith was pleased to present the amulet to Lucifer, only a couple hours later. Lucifer held the necklace in his hands with a grin on his face. He placed it around his neck, where the gold pendent shone brightly in the light.

"Now, why do you have the Angel chained so?" He asked nodding towards Castiel, who was kneeling on the ground, his arms chained behind his back.

Alistair spoke then, softly, "He is a contaminate. The resistance was trying to use him against you. It turns out that he is the son of Chuck. They hoped to turn him against you."

Lucifer nodded, "So that's why Balthazar wanted you."

Castiel tried to call out to his father, who stood on the other side of the room, but found his voice gone. His eyes widened in fright. "If I'm to sort this mess out, I need him to be able to speak," Lucifer frowned.

"But sir, Chuck would be able to hear as well," Alistair said in a quiet voice and Lucifer groaned.

"You are too paranoid," Lucifer motioned for Chuck to approach. The scientist nervously did as he was told. "Recognize this boy, Chuck?"

"He's just some kid that Balthazar brought here with a story about being my son," Chuck mumbled.

"And, do you have a son?"

Chuck shook his head, refusing to look at Castiel, "No, of course not. The resistance will try anything."

"Take a good look at him Chuck. Why do you think Balthazar picked him?" Lucifer asked.

Balthazar groaned, "Because he is his son!"

"Quiet, ungrateful child," Lucifer raised his voice. Turning back to Chuck, Lucifer pressed, "Well?"

"Oh, I have no idea," Chuck shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe because he's a good actor?"

"I'm going to have him executed, you know. Does that bother you, even a little?"

Chuck looked at Castiel, blue eyes pleading for him to remember. Chuck glanced away, "Why should it?"

Lucifer smiled gleefully, "Excellent. You may go."

Castiel hung his head in defeat. His mind was [blank](http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7962826/11/The_Other_Side) as people moved about the room, tears falling from his eyes. His father didn't recognize him and wouldn't even care when he saw his son killed. He thought of Gabriel, then. He wouldn't know what happened to Castiel. He would think that he had abandoned him, just like he believed of their father.

"Balthazar, I raised you and sheltered you and this is how you repay me?" Lucifer's brows furrowed as he stared at his son.

Balthazar kept his head held high, "Send Castiel home. He doesn't deserve this. Chuck may seem well now, but if he sees his son executed, he'll wake up for sure."

"Nonsense," Lucifer responded.

"He can't hurt you if he's back in his world. Besides, you've crushed the resistance. Their leader is gone, and the amulet is back around your neck. What more do you want? Are you really willing to risk it?"

Lucifer treaded around the room, thoughtfully. He came to a stop at the center of the room and spoke in a firm voice, "I believe banishment will be a fair judgment. Escort him to the Gate and be rid of him as quickly as possible. And as for you, son of mine, I sentence you to the executioner's axe."

There was a hush that settled over the crowd at Lucifer's words. Bela gazed at Balthazar, shock lighting her features.

Castiel was lifted to his feet and the spell removed from his, though he said nothing as he was led to a Dragon and shoved inside. He went willingly, like an obedient dog following its master. At least he would be returned home.

ooooo

Dean groaned in pain, body lifting from the table against his restraints. Alistair laughed as he slid a blade down the man's arm, watching the blood spill. "Tell me where the Great Library is," he demanded for the hundredth time. When Dean shot him a defiant look, Alistair smiled widely. "I didn't think you'd crack. Which means there's no reason to keep you alive."

He pulled a new blade out, this one looking sharper, gleaming in the dim light. But he failed to notice that Dean had worked his arm loose and when Alistair moved in for the finishing blow, Dean knocked the knife from the crazy man. While Alistair cursed and retrieved the knife, Dean worked quickly to untie his other arm.

They struggled for a long moment before Dean gained the upper hand, turning the blade on Alistair.

ooooo

Bobby paced back and forth, in the safety of the ancient throne room. "There were too many of them," he mumbled, trying to convince himself that running away had been the best course of action. "Never gotten away with it. Suicide."

He paused, staring at the empty throne as though he could still see Michael, in all his glory. "I know what you're thinking. Of all the Hunters to survive, it had to be me. The gutless one. I'm not even a Hunter, I'm just a fraud. While Castiel and Dean are tortured to death in the casino, I just sit around here, dreaming of the good old days."

He kicked a stone angrily, "Well, it's about time I stopped fantasizing and do something for real. Something useful, something brave!" As he stared at the throne, an idea formed. "Something like…"

He ran around the camp, trying to find certain items. A bowl, some candles, herbs, and salt. Yes, he would need salt.

ooooo

A Demon approached Lucifer, looking terrified. "Well, what is it?" The King snapped angrily. He had no patience for gutless creatures.

"Sir, we're under attack!"

Intrigued, Lucifer moved to the window, gazing at the field below the casino. There were hundreds of figures standing, all dressed in armor, and carrying weapons. "Hunters." Lucifer gasped. "That's impossible."

Bobby finished reciting the spell for the last batch of Hunters. He had nearly a thousand ghosts, all ready to take revenge on Lucifer. "Come and get us, you Demons!" He called out, raising a fist.

"What'll we do?" The Demon asked Lucifer.

There was a fear in Lucifer's eyes that hadn't been there in years. "We fight back." And with that, Demons began scurrying about the casino, ready to defend their castle.

ooooo

Castiel followed Lilith into a small room, where a man stood in front of a large gate. "This one's got to go back, right away," she told the man, who nodded.

"As soon as the raiding party comes through, I'll send him."

The Angel watched, unable to move with a Demon standing guard, as several people were brought through the gate. They were all drugged and appeared to be in a daze.

Another Demon approached the gatekeeper. "Lucifer wants the amulet back."

The gatekeeper sighed, pulling the amulet from its resting place in the gate, like a key being pulled out. "The Gate will only work for a short time without it. We'll need it back," the gatekeeper informed as several more people were led from the gate. This time it was children.

Castiel shook his head, "No!" he found the pressure points at the back of the Demon's neck, sending him to the ground in a heap. He ran before the others realized what was happening, Lilith giving chase.

The Angel ran out of the building and into the light, almost falling off the edge of the pathway. He took a deep breath and continued on, and it must have been his lucky day because he found a Dragon about to take flight. He snuck aboard, thankful that no one had seen him.

When the Dragon finally landed, Castiel waited until he was certain that everyone else had exited before climbing out of the blimp. Glancing around, he spotted no one and quickly darted inside. He moved into a doorway when several Demons came running, but they passed him, seeming after something else.

"All Demons report immediately to Central," a voice sounded over an intercom. Castiel kept moving. He froze when he came to a window, looking out at the hundreds of ghosts on the field.

"Where did you get the army, Bobby?" Castiel said in wonder, a smile on his face. Because in the middle of it all, he could see the older Hunter leading the ghost army.

"There!" A Demon said and Castiel took off again. He could hear explosions outside as the Demons fought the ghosts.

He ran, down a flight of stairs and through another hallway before he came to a door. The Demons were hot on his tail and he entered the room, locking the door behind him. The room turned out to be the main casino and Castiel found himself on stage, where several women were dancing.

A gun was pointed in his face and a knot of fear settled in his stomach. He held his hands up in defeat. Someone whistled, distracting the Demon and Castiel took that opportunity to knock the gun away, pinching his pressure spot at the back of his neck.

"You've got to teach me that," Dean breathed as he approached.

"Dean," Castiel gasped, "You're okay."

"More or less, just a few cuts—"

Castiel hugged him tightly, "I thought you were dead." He felt Dean wrap his arms around him, returning the hug.

"We should save this for when we're safe," Dean murmured, pulling away.

"I'm sorry I didn't trust you before," Castiel said, guilt etched on his face.

"You trust me now?" Dean said in awe, staring into the blue eyes that were trained on him with something akin to adoration in them.

"Completely."

"Good," Dean smiled, nodded. "Follow me, I'm getting us out of here."

"No, I have an idea," Castiel said, looking around the casino. "Do you see any Demons in here?" He asked and Dean followed his gaze. There were none, just the employees and dazed Angels. "Let's seal the other exit.

"Where's security?" one dancer asked, angrily.

"They've been called to defend the perimeter," another answered.

They locked the door and Castiel gazed around the room, an idea forming in his mind. "What are you thinking?" Dean asked.

"Something that Gardener said, about mixing the wrong emotions together and causing a breakdown. And Bobby said that Lucifer only wanted to feel the good, right? So, let's stir up some emotions." Running to the stage, Castiel stood in front of the dazed Angels. Dean grabbed a gun from the fallen Demon and began shooting at the ceiling.

"You so much as think about dealing another hand, it'll be your last," Dean said threateningly, standing beside Castiel.

"Sir, we have a problem," one of the lab techs said, watching the surveillance cameras. Chuck stepped beside the employee, watching with interest.

"What's going on? Where is security?" Chuck asked as he stared at the dark haired Angel.

"Hunters are attacking," the employee said, "Everyone's been called for defense."

"Everyone, hey, wake up," Castiel spoke. "This isn't a dream, this is really happening!" He tried encouraging the people to wake up, could see the dazed look slowly fading. "That's it, think. Where're your families? Your kids? You were taken, brought here. Try to think. What's your name?"

"Jane," a woman said then frowned. "No, that's my daughter's name… My daughter," the woman sounded terrified when she remembered her daughter.

Castiel smiled when he found that almost everyone had woken. "Try to move, everyone," he said and people began fighting to move. Their feet were stuck to the ground and panic began rising.

"I can't move!" one man called out. "My feet are stuck!"

"Sir, we're getting some negative emotions coming through," the tech said.

"What is he doing?" Chuck questioned, watching Castiel on the screen. He felt a headache coming on and he brought a hand to his forehead. Then suddenly, it was gone. He stared up at the screen. His eyes widened as he remembered. "Cassy!" He looked around the lab in shock, "Oh, dear God. What have I done?" Chuck left the lab in a hurry, leaving the few techs confused and stunned. He had to get to Castiel.

Castiel jumped off the stage when a group of Demons finally burst through the doors. They began shooting and Dean shot back, darting behind a roulette table.

"Stop!" Chuck yelled as he entered the casino. "You're frightening the Angels," he scolded the Demons. A hush followed and Castiel peeked over the table, Dean beside him. He stood, grabbing a discarded gun and held it up, aiming at Chuck. His father motioned for the Demons to stay back, "I'll deal with this."

"What do you want?" Castiel shouted.

"Put the gun down," Chuck said, taking a cautious step forward.

"Stay right there!"

"It's me, Castiel. Your father," Chuck murmured.

Castiel shook his head, he could feel his eyes burning with unshed tears. He blinked to clear them, "You don't remember me. You don't remember anything."

"I do. Thanks to you, I remember everything."

"I don't believe you. This is just another trick." Castiel turned his gaze away and spoke in a louder voice, "You see this guy? He's the one who brought you here. He hooked you up. And when he's done with you, he'll get rid of you. Isn't that right, Dad?"

They stared at one another, Castiel hurt and angry, Chuck sad and guilty. The room around them trembled for a moment. Chuck knew the negative emotions were causing the laboratory to crumble. But he had to make his son understand.

"It was a Sunday, and we had just gotten back from the movies. When our neighbor told us that Fenrir had been hit by a car. And you ran and hid, but me and Gabe, we found you," he told and Castiel lowered the gun in surprise. "And I held both of you for hours while you cried. I should have known you the moment I saw you. I've been a blind fool, missed so much time. Please forgive me," Chuck cried as he drew Castiel into his arms. "I'm so sorry."

Chuck looked over Castiel's shoulder. He saw one of the Demons holding a gun towards them. "No!" He yelled and spun, shielding his son. Castiel stood in shock as his father fell to the floor. He gazed at the man who had killed him, and the Demon was ready to fire a bullet at the Angel.

Three consecutive shots rang out and Castiel flinched each time. Dean stood beside him, smoke pouring from his gun. The floor began shaking again and the Angels could suddenly move. They fled, pushing past the Demons in a panic. Their panic and fear bled into the floor, pooling in the pipes that led to the containers in the laboratory.

Mixing together, the lab equipment shook and smoked as it tried to cleanse the negative emotions. But there were too many. Warning signals and alarms went off as the building began shaking with the effort to contain the emotions.

Castiel kneeled beside his father, "I'll go find help."

"No, stay, please," Chuck gasped weakly, reaching for Castiel's hand. Castiel scooted closer, leaned forward. The stressed building was the last thing on his mind.

"It's all my fault," Castiel whispered, "I'm sorry, Dad…"

"You did good. You've made me proud. I kinda messed things up, though, didn't I?" Chuck smiled weakly as he looked up at his son. His son that was an adult now. God, he had missed so much.

"We'll make it right, though, won't we? Wait 'til Gabriel sees you, he'll be happy to see you."

"I'm sorry, Cassy. You're on your own," Chuck said as the breath left his body.

Castiel cried, barely felt Dean pulling at him, telling him they needed to leave. The casino was shaking as though there were an earthquake and people, Demons and Angels alike, fled the building. Dean tugged Castiel along, hurrying to get out before the entire building collapsed.

Survival instincts kicked in and the pair rushed down the corridors, trying to find the exit. There were a few people that followed along, just as determined to make it out as they were. "Over here," Dean spotted the exit and led the small group out. They barely made it out as the walls crumbled down behind them.

They stopped only when they were far enough away from the casino that the rumbling didn't shake the ground so much. There were nearly a hundred people, Demons and Angels alike, that stood in the field where the ghostly Hunters had been. Everyone seemed completely lost.

"Don't suppose I could get that hug, now?" Dean asked but before Castiel could respond, a voice broke out over the crowd.

"There, get him!" Lucifer shouted, and a couple Demons surged forward. Several Angels leaped in to shield Castiel.

"You'll have to go through us!" One said and a murmur of agreement ran through the crowd.

"Don't just stand there," Lucifer shouted. "Arrest him!"

Castiel stepped aside, standing tall, "Take a good look at your lord, first. Is he really worth fighting for?" He asked the Demons, who turned to look at Lucifer critically.

"Don't listen to him! He's just an insolent fool!" Lucifer spewed angrily.

"No one is frightened of you anymore," Castiel continued, daring to step in front of Lucifer. "You're just one of us now."

"This is my kingdom! I still rule here!"

"Look around. No one is listening. Your power's _gone_."

"Balthazar, I'm glad you're here. Get everyone to fall in line," Lucifer demanded but Balthazar scoffed.

"Me? Didn't you sentence me to death?"

"Don't be so sensitive, I was just doing my job," Lucifer sneered.

Balthazar shook his head in apology. "I'm sorry, Father. It's over."

Castiel held out his palm. "The amulet."

"Are you mad? I'd sooner lop off my own hand."

"That can be arranged, I've a knife," Dean commented, holding up the blade he stole from Alistair. He approached Lucifer with a grin on his face.

Grumbling, Lucifer slid the amulet from his neck, handing it to Castiel. He glared at the Angel, who held the amulet towards the sky. Everyone cheered at Lucifer's downfall and Castiel had a smile on his face as he looked over the crowd. They still had a lot of work to do before he could go home.


	12. Chapter 12

Castiel watched as another small group exited the Gate, returning home. He had a smile on his face when the few children that had been brought over made it through. But there were still countless other people waiting to go through the Gate, and only so many could go through at a time.

Castiel waited his turn patiently. They had agreed to send the children first, then the people who had been missing the longest.

"Castiel!" a gruff voice reached his ears. He turned, spotting the old Hunter. The man clapped him on the back before drawing him into a one-armed hug.

"Bobby, thank you so much. What you did with those Hunters… That was amazing," Castiel smiled, pulling away.

"I have a few tricks up my sleeve," he said with a shrug, but he had a slight smile on his lips. "You're a good kid," Bobby nodded, shaking the younger man's hand. And coming from the grouchy, old Hunter that was a huge compliment. Castiel smiled, returning the gesture.

Balthazar approached quietly, "Thank you, Bobby," he told the man. They shared a look before Bobby inclined his head and left the two alone to talk. "Castiel."

"I tried to say goodbye, but I suppose being the new King requires a lot of work," Castiel told the blond.

Balthazar nodded with a grin, "What with trying to clean up my father's mess and all." He laughed before he continued in a more serious tone, "I owe you my life, my kingdom, everything," Balthazar said, looking down at the Angel. He held out a small, gold box, opening it. "I tried to give this to you before, but you didn't know what it meant. This time I ask you to wear it as my husband."

Castiel smiled as he looked into Balthazar's soft, blue eyes. "No, Balthazar. I've changed. I'm not the same guy you knew. I want something else."

Balthazar nodded, smiling brightly despite the rejection. "It wouldn't have to do with a certain crass, green-eyed man, would it?" He teased.

The Angel's face heated, but he nodded. He pulled the man into a hug, "Goodbye, Balthazar."

Dean stood several paces away. He watched as Castiel hugged the new King, smile faltering. Of course Castiel would still want to be with Balthazar. After all, he was the reason that had driven the Angel from the beginning. He turned to leave, but the Angel's voice rang out, "Dean!"

Castiel approached him, smiling and Dean couldn't help returning the smile, though he certainly didn't feel happy. "Cas, hey. Thought I might've missed you."

"It was pretty close," Castiel nodded, eyes searching the taller man's face.

People bustled about them as they stared and Dean began to feel uncomfortable. Why did he have to go and care for the Angel? Him and his big, blue eyes, his determination and loyalty, and... Dean said quickly, "Anyways, I wanted to say goodbye."

Castiel tilted his head, "Goodbye?"

"And if you, you know, ever want to come back…"

Castiel blinked, but when Dean didn't continue, he asked hesitantly, "You want me to stay?"

"Hell no, you should go home," Dean spoke, a little too fast.

Castiel's smile fell a bit. "Yes. I, I've had enough of Purgatory for a lifetime," Castiel responded, trying to remain smiling. He had thought there was something between them, but the way Dean was talking, Castiel wasn't so sure anymore.

"Yeah, I bet you have, right?" Dean laughed. "Still, we had some good times. Obviously among all the bad times."

"We did," he answered with a laugh of his own and Dean felt his heart clench at the sound. God, he was whipped. "You know, you could always visit my world? You might like it," Castiel said hopefully.

Dean smiled a real smile then, "Yeah, we could do burgers. And other things." God, he used to be such a smooth talker. And now he was reduced to this? If his little brother were here, he would have a field day with the way Dean was acting.

"Castiel," the gatekeeper interrupted. "Are you ready?" Without waiting for a response, he pulled Castiel away and towards to the Gate. "Now, just force yourself to breath." And with that, he pushed Castiel through the Gate.

That falling sensation hit him and then darkness consumed him.

It felt like a lifetime later when he finally came to, to the sound of a steady beeping. He could vaguely hear people talking but they sounded miles away. His body felt stiff and sore, and it took a few moments to open his eyes. "Cas?" Came his brother's voice from his right. The tiny bed dipped and Castiel looked at Gabriel.

And he remembered their father's death then, staring into his brother's amber eyes."He's gone," he said softly.

Gabriel frowned, "Who?"

"Dad," Castiel's voice croaked both from distress and a dry mouth.

"It's okay, shh…" Gabriel patted his little brother's hand comfortingly. He brought a glass of water and Castiel took it gratefully.

When he felt he could talk again, though his voice was still a bit throaty, he asked, "How long was I there?" He rubbed his eyes and blinked away the sleepiness.

"About an hour," Gabriel answered. "You were lucky. A construction worker saw you run into the building."

"I brought coffee," Sam's voice broke in and Castiel spotted the giant man sitting in a chair at his right. "Don't worry, home-brewed," he motioned to the thermos and stack of foam cups, likely taken from the cafeteria.

Castiel smiled and leaned back in the bed, "Smells delicious." He breathed in the scent and felt himself waking up little by little. He wanted to go home but the hospital wouldn't allow him to leave yet, wanting to monitor his vitals.

It was morning before Castiel was allowed to leave and return home. When he walked inside the shared apartment, he expected to feel relief but it never came. Instead, he felt empty. Something was missing.

He missed Dean.

He sauntered into his bedroom and fell back, staring at the ceiling.

Gabriel left him be, after hearing his little brother's story. It was farfetched, but he let it go for now. Castiel was confused, had been concussed. It was more likely everything had been a crazy ass dream. With that thought, he nodded to himself before biting into a Snickers bar.

That night, Castiel couldn't sleep, feeling strangely restless. He wondered if he had imagined everything in Purgatory. After all, he had only been missing for about an hour. If that was the case, was Dean and everything that had happened just a dream? The thought continued to plague him and he was starting to feel frustrated.

He climbed out of his bed, deciding to get a glass of water, hoping the walk would clear his head. He passed by Gabriel's door and froze, hearing his brother and Sam talking. Normally, this wouldn't faze him; Sam often spent the night. But he could have sworn he heard the word "Purgatory" in there.

"It's all real, Gabe," Sam was saying. Castiel shifted closer to the door, quietly, and pressed his ear against the wood. "Everything he told you, it's real."

"Puh-lease," he heard his brother say. "He just had some crazy dream."

He could hear Sam sigh, "I have something to tell you, Gabe. I'm not really from a small town in Kansas. I'm _from_ Purgatory."

Castiel froze and backed away, staring in shock at the door. He wasn't crazy, after all. It was real. He numbly walked back to his bedroom and he collapsed on the bed, tears streaming down his face.

Dean was real. And Castiel probably would never see him again.

"Rise and shine, sleepy head!" Gabriel's voice called out what felt like only minutes later. But when Castiel blinked his eyes open, the sun streamed through his bedroom window brightly. Castiel mumbled and rolled over, pulling the cover over his head. "Not so fast, kiddo! Get dressed, we're going out for breakfast! Well, I think it's lunchtime at this point…" Gabriel conceded thoughtfully before leaving Castiel to get dressed.

Castiel sat up, then. He had overslept that late? He dressed quickly in a pair of jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, and a pair of tennis shoes before hitting the restroom.

It wasn't unusual for the brothers and Sam to eat out every now and then. Gabriel especially, who had tried every dessert at their favorite restaurants. It was lunchtime when they pulled in to the parking lot and it was packed. "I'll grab a table," Castiel said, climbing out of the car. But it was Sunday, and many of the patrons had likely just left church.

"I called ahead, it's under 'Winchester'," Sam said out the window of his car, before pulling away to find a spot to park.

Castiel headed inside and made his way to the hostess. There were several people still waiting to be seated, but Sam had said there was a reserved table for them. It was strange, because usually they just waited. Then again, they also usually arrived earlier to beat the crowd. But he cleared his throat as he asked the hostess, "I have a table reserved, under Winchester?"

The tiny woman smiled brightly, "Yes, it's all ready for you, just follow me." He followed her around the tables, trying not to bump into anyone. When she stopped at a table near the back, Castiel froze.

The table itself was a two-seater, but what had Castiel's heart missing a beat was the man sitting with his back to him. He moved slowly to the other side of the table, heart wrenching in anticipation. Green eyes met blue and Castiel gasped, "Dean?"

Someone cleared their throat and he realized he was standing in the way of a waiter. Hurriedly, Castiel sat down across from Dean, who let out a chuckle. "You act like you've seen a ghost."

"How, I mean, what—"

"Our brothers set this up," Dean commented with a smirk.

Castiel blinked once, twice, then his eyes widened. "You're saying that my best friend Sam, is your little brother Sam?"

Before more words could be exchanged, the waitress greeted them and took their orders. "This world isn't so bad," Dean commented, looking around the restaurant. Castiel followed his gaze. Everyone seemed cheerful and happy, eyes focused instead of the dazed look that had been in many of the people of Purgatory.

"How long are you staying?" Castiel hoped he would stay awhile, more than just a couple hours for lunch. If he were honest, he wanted the other man to stay permanently. But Purgatory was the man's home and Castiel couldn't (and wouldn't) ask Dean to stay. He wasn't that selfish.

Dean pretended to look hurt, "You want me gone that quick?"

Castiel looked guilty, "No, of course not!" he said quickly. "I just meant, I…"

Dean smiled as he watched the Angel look down, embarrassed and cheeks flushed. Their food arrived then and they ate in silence. "Dude," Dean moaned after taking a bite of burger, "the food here is amazing!"

Castiel laughed, forgetting his embarrassment. "Wait until you try the pie," he said with a shy smile.

The pie, it turned out, was in Dean's opinion, the best creation in both worlds. Well, second best, he corrected his thoughts as he led Castiel from the restaurant. "I plan on staying. Permanently, I mean." He informed as they walked down the sidewalk.

Blue eyes turned to gaze at Dean curiously, "Why is that?"

"I like it here," came the response. "I figure I'll stay with Sammy until I get my own place."

Castiel couldn't hold back the smile. He wanted to offer Dean his place to stay, but knew that wouldn't be fair to Gabriel so he remained quiet. Besides, Sam was almost always at their place, so maybe Dean would tag along. He could only hope.

They stopped in a park, sitting down on a bench. Occasional joggers flew by, but the bench they sat on was in a remote area of the park.

"You're awfully quiet, Cas," Dean commented as he watched a squirrel run up a tree.

"Oh, um…" Castiel fidgeted with the hem of his shirt. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you."

Dean sighed, "Look, I get it. You don't want me around."

"No," Castiel interjected, reaching for Dean's hand on impulse and the taller man whipped around, staring at their hands. But the Angel held tightly, "That's the thing, I _do_ want you here. I just wasn't sure how you would react to me confessing that I, I mean…" his voice trailed off and released Dean's hand, face turning red.

Dean scooted closer, "What, Cas?"

Castiel caught his gaze steadily, "I think I love you, Dean," he spoke softly, hesitant, but held the other man's eyes.

Another jogger ran past, but neither man moved away. "You know, I miss that tie," Dean remarked and Castiel frowned, tilting his head in confusion. "It's a lot easier to do this," he smiled as he pulled the Angel close by his shirt collar, claiming his lips.

Castiel gasped into the kiss before his eyes slid shut. He brought a hand to the back of Dean's neck, tugging him closer. The kiss became forceful then, as they battled for dominance. Out of breath, Dean pulled back only just enough to breathe. "I've wanted to do this since I met you," Dean whispered against his lips and Castiel nodded, unable to speak.

He finally found the breath to speak, "We should go back to my place."

Dean smiled, "Is that a come on?"

Castiel nodded, eyes shining brightly, "I think it was."


End file.
